Persuasion
by tayschillings
Summary: AU- Rich, powerful and successful Piper Chapman is the CEO of one of New York's biggest companies. Timid, introverted Alex Vause arrives in the city with her heart set on making one final go at the life her college education should have provided for her. But when Alex starts her new job at Piper's company, neither she nor Piper are prepared for the feelings evoked within them.
1. Chapter 1

Persuasion

A/N: Hey guys, this is just something I decided to write for the sake of it. It is basically a **_ROLE_ _REVERSAL, _**so at the beginning anyway, Alex is a little shyer and for the entirety of the story Piper is much more ruthless and generally more badass than she is in the show_._So for the love of God please do not send me reviews stating that you don't see the need for the role reversal; that's the point! A couple of people on twitter suggested it, so here goes. Sorry for any typos; it's 2am.

* * *

The sound of her feet pounding against the pavement below her is a welcome change to Piper Chapman's ears. A welcome change indeed from the wall of noise she is surrounded by five days a week in her work place, or from the piercing criticism she gets off her best friend Polly because Piper had gotten blind drunk **_again _**last night_, _and as usual Polly Harper came to the rescue. Running offers Piper an escape from the resounding cacophony of reality, so naturally she cherishes any time she gets alone on the streets with only the sound of her footfalls to accompany her. But, alas, all good things must come to an end.

She slows her pace as she rounds the corner to her apartment block, the familiar hum of New York replacing the sound of feet against concrete. Gazing skyward, Piper allows her eyes to roam over the exterior of her home. The large penthouse apartment looms over her, its transparent windows surrounded by glossy white walls, jutting out slightly from the side of the building, giving it an obviously more expensive look than the smaller apartments below. Piper owns the whole damn block, but chooses to rent the other homes out, despite many people often asking why she doesn't convert it all into one living area. But once said people take in the vast expanse of the penthouse, their concerns are quickly forgotten. Walking now, Piper strides into the building and removes her key from the tiny pocket of her t shirt (her shorts were far too skin tight to allow any room for a key). Giving a small wave to the receptionist, her toned legs carry her towards the elevator which is ready and waiting. Piper presses the button for the top floor and the silver doors slide shut abruptly. Tight spaces were never really her thing, but thankfully the mirrored walls of the lift make the blonde feel slightly less claustrophobic.

Piper takes a moment to look at her appearance. Despite running for over six miles, her ponytail has only come slightly lose, allowing a few blonde strands to stick to her forehead and frame her face. Her cheeks are flushed but her skin is glowing rather than shining with sweat. In fact, apart from the hair stuck to her forehead and the dark shade of blue her t shirt has turned at the back, Piper looks as though she's just come back from a walk rather than a lengthy jog. The black running shorts fit her like a second skin and show off her long, sun kissed legs. The blonde smirks; she looks as youthful as she does the day she arrived in New York four years ago.

The sharp ding of the elevator drags Piper from her thoughts as she steps into the long, airy corridor, at the end of which is the heavy oak door leading to her home. She moves along quickly, eager to shower before she makes the short trip downtown to work. A smile makes its way onto Piper's face. The blonde is inexplicably proud of all the things she's achieved, her home being one of those things, but it is her company's success that brings the blonde most delight. 'Pipeline' as she had christened it one night whilst slightly inebriated, was now one of New York's largest companies and America's main importer of artwork. Frankly, Piper couldn't give a flying fuck about art and she didn't even have the first clue about drawing or art history or any of that. No, what Piper knew was business. She knew what would sell, she knew what the art galleries would go crazy for, and she knew how to get it for the right price. Every time she pulled off a deal, whether it was from a sought after, seasoned artist or an unorthodox rookie who was touted as 'the next big thing', Piper could feel herself rubbing it in the nose of those who had once told her, with smug undertones in their voices, that she would never make it. No little blonde girl who grew up without a father or an education would ever make it in the big bad world of business, right? Apparently that was not the case when it came to Piper Chapman.

The rest of the morning passed quickly as Piper got ready for work. Steaming cup of coffee in one hand, the other on the keyboard of her Macbook Air, she looked over her schedule for the week. A frown tugged at the corners of her mouth as she realised today was the day her new secretary started. Piper had been reluctant to let her previous secretary go, but she knew Sarah was moving on to bigger, better things. In her despondent state, Piper had accepted the first résumé that came her way, not checking over the details much. She couldn't even remember the girl's name, only that she'd had experience working in an office while she attended university at Smith, or somewhere. Piper didn't care much for College girls and even felt a little resentment towards them. Cursing herself, Piper realised she'd probably hired some WASPy, straight edge chick who'd call her ma'am and be afraid to meet her in the eye. Piper had that last effect on most women however, especially the cute redhead she'd met at the bar two nights ago. Finding her thoughts drifting towards sex, alcohol and women (which was a problem she often encountered), Piper tried to clear her head. She realised she could have at least tried to remember the new secretary's damn name. That would make for an awkward first meeting.

Piper stood up and set her mug in the sink, grabbing her Prada handbag from the marble worktop and taking a final look in the mirror before she left. A beige coloured blazer adorned the blonde's slender shoulders, underneath which she wore a low, fitted cream top that tucked into the thick waistband of her black, mid thigh length skirt. On her left wrist was a silver Guess watch and on her feet she wore a patent black pair of Louboutin heels. Happy with her appearance, she ran a hand through her blonde hair that reached the top of her breasts and strode out of the apartment, towards the hustle and bustle of New York in rush hour and the potentially awkward first meeting with her secretary.

"I hope she's at least cute," Piper mused darkly. She needed a bit of fun in her life.

* * *

Alex Vause could hardly believe her luck sometimes. Here she was, two years after she'd got out of college, and finally she has a job working for a massive player in the world of art. Yes, she was not under the tuition of a world class artist or anything like that, but she'd hopefully be able to get a first-hand look at what kind of art goes down well with buyers and sellers. When Alex had first told her conservative, middle class parents that she wanted to major in art at college, they'd damn near smacked their jaws off the floor. What the _hell _did she want to do art for?! Why wasn't she studying law, or business or anything useful? Her mother had told her in the least condescending tone she could muster (which wasn't saying much), that maybe she was making a mistake. After all, how many job opportunities were there around nowadays for a major in coloring in? Alex had been hurt, but undeterred. The path of architectural work was out the door due to her less than impressive math skills, but she had a passion and a talent for creating life out of a blank canvas with only a brush and a few tins of paint. Alex immersed herself in her studies back at home in Jersey; consequentially she got her major and was absolutely thrumming with excitement. She was going to make it as an artist, she hoped so anyway.

And God knows she tried to believe it, for a while anyway. A year passed. She'd sold not one piece of art and her only income was from a dreary job working in the office of a local library. Alex's hope was beginning to fade. She produced piece after piece of work but not one gallery would display it. Disenchanted, she took to the streets to try and sell anything and everything. Eventually she picked up a few buyers who would display her art in their homes, but it wasn't what Alex wanted. What she'd dreamed about was her work on display in galleries in Paris, Barcelona, Milan, London and New York. As the time dragged on, with little to tie her to Jersey apart from her parents, twenty-three year old Alex made the decision to move to New York. If the galleries wouldn't come to her, she would go to them.

And now she found herself standing in her small studio apartment in Queens, not knowing whether to curse her luck or take her luck out to dinner and thank it profusely all night long for giving her this final, make or break opportunity. Alex looked at her reflection in the mirror at the door, willing her mind to calm. She could do this. She could be a secretary to one of the most important women in art at the minute, right? Alex had on a crisp white shirt, the sleeves rolled up neatly to the crook of her elbow. It was tucked into a pair of tight black trousers that came to her ankles. Adjusting her black, thick framed glasses nervously and pressing her red lipstick adorned lips together, Alex swung the door shut behind her, heels clicking against the concrete of the steps leading to her home. The raven haired girl walked briskly towards the subway station, praying to a deity she didn't really believe in that everything would go smoothly.

Somehow, it did, and Alex silently thanked whoever the fucker was up there that was having so much fun giving her hope only to rip it away from her as was so often the case. For now though, they seemed content to let Alex be happy. She approached the large building nervously, feeling dwarfed by the size of her new workplace. The sky scraper seemed to go up and up, and Alex could make out the word 'Pipeline' at the very top in metallic letters. Lowering her gaze and smoothing her hands over her shirt, the brunette walked up the wide steps and through the transparent doors, upon which the company name was also etched. Inside was an airy, hotel-like reception with a large mahogany desk at the far end, where a small girl sat, typing away at a computer. Alex approached her nervously.

"Hi, I'm here for my new job?" She offered quietly, her voice raising at the end as if she were asking the girl rather than telling her.

"Are you sure about that?" the receptionist offered sarcastically, but a warm smile made its way onto her features. "And what job would that be?" Alex noted she had a Brooklyn accent. 'L. Morello ' read her nametag.

"Um... I'm Piper Chapman's new secretary." Alex answered. An unreadable expression made its way onto Morello's features and a feeling of dread settled nicely into Alex's stomach.

"Oh, of course!" Morello laughed nervously. "Her office is on the top floor...or rather, her office is the top floor." She explained, trying to make the newbie feel at home. Morello knew that Miss Chapman was not always a delight to work in the same building as, never mind as her goddamn secretary. Alex realised the look on the receptionist's face was one of unashamed pity.

"Thank you..." Alex trailed off, torn between wanting to know what the fuck was going on, but also afraid of what she might find. Turning to her left, Alex shuffled towards the elevator, pressing the button and waiting for it to reach her.

"Have a good first day!" Morello called after her. Alex ignored her, the feeling of dread not yet subsided. Whatever, she thought. Maybe the receptionist was just having a shitty morning, right? Entering the elevator, the raven haired girl again asked for some help from above, hoping against all hope that her new boss wouldn't be a complete and utter asshole. Unsurprisingly, it looked as if her luck had run out.

* * *

Piper sat with her office door open but her back turned, as she often did when she was frustrated. She looked out across the vast landscape of the city she had called home for every second of her life. Piper wasn't sure how she felt about that, in fact only when she had moved into her lavish apartment did things start to feel like home around her. Sighing heavily, the blonde knew she needed to sort out the growing amount of problems around her. The shipment from London had not arrived; and no one seemed to be able to tell Piper why. She doubted it had been stolen, but one thing she couldn't stand for was a late shipment. She made it clear to clients that if their shit was late, her company's sales pitch to galleries in the area would suffer. Her temper rising, Piper was about to pick up her phone when a quiet knock at the door startled her.

"Can I help you?!" She spat even before she looked at who was disturbing her. Didn't everyone know by now that if you ever saw Piper Chapman with her back to her office, you left her the fuck alone?!

"Ah...Um...Yes?" The person at the door answered. It came out like a fucking question. "Yes." She repeated. "I'm your new secretary."

Piper's eyes widened and her levels of frustration sky rocketed. She had forgotten about this. Reigning in her temper, Piper turned and finally took in the appearance of the girl in the doorway. She was pretty sure she'd never been so happy to see anyone in her life before. Standing before her was five foot ten of absolute, unadulterated sex appeal. Piper made no effort to conceal her movements as she took in the girl's appearance. She raked her eyes over the girl, noticing how the jet black of her hair contrasted against her porcelain skin, how her green eyes widened as she caught Piper's gaze, how her white shirt hugged her in all the right places and how her trousers fit snugly around her hips and legs. All the blonde wanted to do was rip that shirt off and have her way with the brunette any way she could. Oh yes, Piper thought to herself. She was going to have fun with this one.

"What's your name again?" Piper finally asked after she'd finished undressing the girl with her eyes.

"Alex. My name is Alex." The girl replied, her voice barely above a whisper as a blush made its way onto her cheeks. However, Piper noted how husky her new secretary's voice was.

"No, sweetheart, your last name." Piper encouraged her, stepping towards her and inwardly smiling at how she made it seem like she already knew Alex's first name.

"Oh, right." Alex deadpanned. She could hardly remember her last name if she was being honest. "Alex Vause." She managed to get out.

"Alex Vause." Piper's name rolled off her tongue, as if she was trying it out. Yes, she thought, that was a name she could get _very_ used to saying. "Alex." She repeated. "That's a nice name."

"T-thank you..." Alex replied timidly, her gaze firmly fixed to the floor as if it was the most interesting thing she had ever fucking seen. She couldn't believe this was happening. Here she was, standing in the middle of Piper Chapman's office, feeling like a schoolgirl. She couldn't even look at her boss, because the first time their eyes met, Alex noticed the judgement in Piper's baby blues. She could feel Piper taking in her appearance, probably noting the fear in Alex's expression. She couldn't help it; Piper was probably the hottest woman Alex had ever seen.

Her legs seemed to go on for miles and her hair sat in such a way that all Alex could think about doing was running her hands through it. Her shirt clung to her and Alex could see how Piper's muscles rippled in her stomach as she walked towards her. She knew that if she returned Piper's gaze she would not be able to hide the lust underneath all the fear. Alex couldn't believe this was happening. She wasn't even gay for Christ sake! She had plenty of boyfriends in school and at college, all of which she enjoyed having sex with. Sure, she'd kissed her female best friend once for a dare, but that was it; Alex didn't even enjoy it! No, sir, Alex Vause was as straight as an arrow. And she knew Piper probably was too. But she knew she hadn't imagined Piper undressing her with her icy blue eyes; that had definitely happened, right?

"No problem, kid. Welcome to the business. My name is Piper Chapman." Piper's soothing voice broke Alex out of her trance as she saw a hand in front of her. Moving her gaze upwards, Alex saw a knowing smirk on Piper's features as their eyes met. Her boss knew she had her all flustered. Fuck! Alex shook Piper's hand quickly, again averting her gaze and blushing profusely. Piper almost burst out laughing, but suddenly she almost felt bad for how nervous she'd made the girl feel. "Hey, do you want a drink or something?" she asked without releasing Alex's hand, quite enjoying the feel of the brunette's warm skin against her own.

"No!" Alex blurted out. "I mean no thank you, ma'am. I'm fine." She backtracked, an apologetic smile on her face. She met Piper's gaze again.

"Call me Piper." She encouraged her softly.

"Okay, Piper..." Alex whispered, almost scared in case she said her name wrong or something.

"Well, Alex. If you ever need anything, just let me know, okay." Piper told her, putting emphasis on the word anything. She was enjoying this little game; Piper loved how easy it was for girls to become undone around her. She loved the way her name sounded in Alex's deep tones, although the blonde thought it would sound much better if Alex was screaming it at the top of her voice whilst Piper's head was between her legs. Alex had obviously picked up on the double meaning of Piper's offer, because her gaze again shifted away from Piper's and the tips of her ears went bright red. Piper let go of her new secretary's hand and could no longer fight the grin that made its way onto her face. Oh, if only Alex Vause knew what she'd done by wearing that fucking tight fitting shirt and that red lipstick that drew Piper's gaze like a magnet. If only she knew.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews! They mean the world to me, honestly! Hope you enjoy this one. I know the story's moving pretty fast but that's the way it's going to be.

* * *

"So tell me about yourself, Alex." Piper encourages the girl sat opposite her. She'd coaxed Alex into taking a cup of coffee and the pair were now sitting at the blonde's very large glass desk.

"Didn't you read my résumé?" Alex asks quietly. "It's all on there, there's not much to tell..." She trails off, still on edge about how her new boss is making her feel. Alex is unsure she'll be able to string more than a few coherent sentences together in front of her.

"Of course I didn't read your fucking résumé!" Piper barks out, raising her eyebrows. "C'mon, tell me." She leans forward, smirking. Alex feels strangely empty at the fact Piper hadn't read her résumé, but she's hardly surprised. Of course she wouldn't have got the position if Piper felt this was actually an important job.

"I need to stop kidding myself." Alex thinks. She's a fucking secretary; this has nothing to do with becoming a world renowned artist. Out loud however, Alex launches into her back-story and tells Piper about her life growing up in Jersey, her parents (she leaves out the fact her mother is a total WASP, thinking Piper might apply the same opinion to Alex). She meets the blonde's eyes a few times and is met with that same look of humour, and something like contempt. "Of course," Alex thinks. Piper probably thinks Alex is a massive loser who'll never make it as an artist just like everyone else she ever told about her plans. But Alex perseveres, and when talks about her hopes and dreams she can feel herself smiling and her mood lifts. Momentarily she forgets who she's talking to and slips into a comfortable drawl, smiling at Piper directly with an optimistic glint in her green eyes.

"God, I could listen to that fucking voice all day." Piper thinks, but keeps her expression the same, a genuine smile on her lips as Alex talks about how her career hadn't quite gotten off the ground yet. And for some unfamiliar reason, Piper finds herself desperately wishing that this young, bespectacled woman gets her big break. She can see the ambition in Alex's eyes and Piper reckons she deserves all the happiness and success in the world. Alarmed at her sudden feelings of concern for the other girl, Piper quickly gets her feelings under wraps and falls back into her usual teasing manner as Alex finishes her speech.

"You have a really hot voice." Piper states abruptly, smirking crookedly, offering no comment on anything Alex has actually said. Alex is taken aback by this, and before she can stop it, her trademark temper rears its ugly head.

"Is that all you gathered from what I just said? I just told you, a stranger, my whole life story because _**someone**_ couldn't be bothered to read my résumé!" Alex snaps, but immediately regrets her tone of voice. Piper is unmoved by the sudden outburst, quietly satisfied that the brunette seems to have a bit of fire in her.

"Someone has a little temper, don't they?" Piper teases, cocking her eyebrows. "Well, Miss Vause, judging by your reaction earlier when I first laid eyes on you, you seemed to enjoy having my attention?" Alex feels her face turn a lovely shade of red as she realises Piper had obviously noticed how the brunette reacted when Piper was basically eye fucking her. "Maybe I was wrong..." Piper continued sarcastically. She was being a little forward sure, and she'd admitted to Alex that she had her attention, but Piper didn't care. Alex was probably the hottest woman she'd ever seen, and Piper was never one to hold back. "But I'm going to continue talking about how much I love your voice, or your face, or your body, because I enjoy seeing you all hot and bothered. And I know you like it, really." Piper's voice was lower now and she could see Alex shrink further back into the leather of her seat.

Saying that Alex liked it was an understatement. God, Alex fucking _**loved**_ hearing Piper talk about her. Every time the blonde teased her or smiled that crooked smile, Alex could practically feel her heterosexuality slipping away from her. But that didn't mean she wasn't nervous, embarrassed and scared as well as being turned on. She was afraid of how her boss was making her feel because this definitely was not supposed to happen. Alex was also scared of messing up, of saying something to anger Piper or scaring her away. So Alex sat quietly, her eyes boring holes through the glass of the desk.

Although she didn't reply to her question, Piper knew Alex's silence was an indication that of course she liked it. The secretary adjusted her glasses nervously, and Piper literally had to bite her lip to stop herself from moaning. It was so fucking cliché; she'd hired a new secretary who happened to be really goddamn attractive and now all she could think about was taking her clothes off. But Piper sensed the young secretary would not be so easy to coax into bed. It was evident that she wasn't used to female attention; Alex even seemed a little uncomfortable under Piper's lustful gaze. But her eyes betrayed her time and time again, and although Alex didn't want to show it and she had squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, her green eyes were a few shades darker than when she'd first walked into the room. Piper pondered on the brunette's conflictions as she moved back towards the window, giving Alex a fine view of her ass. Not that it was intentional or anything. Despite the fun she was having teasing the poor girl, the blonde knew she had to get back to work.

"Okay, Miss Vause." Piper spoke in a clear voice without turning to her new secretary. "Your desk is outside; there's a phone, a laptop, a lamp, writing materials, diaries and space for whatever else your heart desires. Basically I expect you to take my calls, organise my shit, make me coffee when I'm hung-over, memorise my schedule, don't let any crazy bitches in here...the usual." She explains, her tone now devoid of any humour, not looking away from her phone.

Alex doesn't quite know how to react to this. "Am I your fucking lackey?" She wants to say; it sure as hell sounds like it! Momentarily however, Alex figures she wouldn't mind being the one to nurse the blonde back to health from a hangover. Maybe they could bond over coffees and Alex could stroke Piper's hair or whatever it was you did with a hungover lesbian. Okay, what the _**fuck. **_Where the hell did that come from?! One, she didn't even know if Piper was a lesbian (hell, Alex didn't even think _**she **_was a lesbian!). Two, Piper would probably punch her in the face if Alex tried to stroke her hair. Blinking rapidly, Alex stands up. What had she gotten herself into? She knew she'd be taking calls and looking over schedules, but dealing with an incredibly sexy boss who had a great ass (yeah, she noticed) was not what the brunette had signed up for.

"Okay then, I'll just go get set up then..." Alex whispers, setting her empty mug on the desk and quickly crossing back over the threshold into the wide, open office floor. Her desk was a few metres from Piper's, also made from glass but much smaller than her boss's. It was accompanied by a white leather chair and a metallic lamp was perched atop a few ledgers on the desk, beside which was a small Macbook Pro. Just how rich is this woman? Alex gasps when she looks around the floor and sees a few similar desks dotted around, some with iMacs and others with laptops like hers. These desks are uninhabited for the moment however, and Alex wonders if Piper gets lonely up here. It's not a nice thought. To her right is a small waiting area, with a couch designed in the same hard, white leather as all the desk chairs, in front of which rests a glass coffee table on top of a black fluffy rug. Taking a seat at her desk and loading up the laptop, she hears the door to Piper's office slam behind her; whatever Piper had read on her phone whilst giving Alex her orders had obviously upset her greatly. Frighteningly, it takes Alex a surprising amount of willpower not to walk right back in there and pull the smaller blonde into arms.

* * *

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Piper yells, slamming her fist down on the table. This should not be happening. The shipment from London had still not arrived, and it was now past twelve in the afternoon. Three hours had passed and the only word she'd gotten was that it _could_ be on the next flight from Heathrow. The blonde hated playing this ridiculous waiting game; she had a right mind to dump the whole fucking lot in the harbour as soon as she saw it. But that would be dumping five hundred grand worth of art, and Piper is pretty sure she'd have a rather large bounty hanging over her head for the foreseeable future if she did so. Without thinking too clearly she hurls the book sitting next to her across the room, where it clatters against a shelf and falls to the floor with a loud thump. She threw the damn thing so hard the shelf was now hanging half off the wall. Piper thumps the button underneath her desk and yells over the speaker for Vause to "get the fuck in here right now!" The CEO really isn't sure why she does that, but seeing Alex seems to give her peace of mind. The door opens slowly.

"Yes, Miss Chapman?" Alex pokes her head around the door, shaking from the fright she'd gotten when Piper summoned her.

"Get in here!" Piper yells. "And I thought I fucking told you to call me Piper! Are you deaf?!" Piper is still seething from the news of the shipment and speaks before thinking about how it could affect the young brunette.

"No, I'm not deaf, I'm sorry Piper. It's just I heard you throwing stuff and then you yelled and I just thought..." Alex splutters, honestly feeling scared for her safety, her green eyes wide with fear. The look in Alex's eyes offers Piper a moment of sobriety and her face softens abruptly. She steps out from behind her desk and strides over to the taller girl.

"Hey, look. I'm sorry for scaring you..." Piper isn't sure why she feels the need to explain herself to a woman she met only three hours ago. "I have a bad temper and I'm sure you saw on your emails that our next shipment is late. I'm just so fucking frustrated and I needed to take it out on something. I'm sorry you had to hear that." The blonde whispers, instinctively reaching out to brush a stray hair back from Alex's terror-stricken face. Why the fuck she does that she isn't sure, but she enjoys how Alex slightly leans into her touch and smiles up at her.

"It's okay." Alex whispers, her voice coming out much raspier than expected resulting in her cheeks heating up and her eyes widening slightly. Why can't her fucking body do what her mind wants and stop making her seem like a hormonal teenager?!

"No, it's not okay. I'm supposed to set a good example around here, act professional and all that." Piper still has her hand on Alex's cheek. "Let me make it up to you, let's go for lunch. My treat." Piper smiles at Alex, and it's a genuine smile full of apology and kindness rather than the sarcastic smirk she so often adorns. She really does feel quite bad about being such an asshole, but she can't help it. Letting her hand drop, Piper raises her eyebrows questioningly.

"You don't have to do that..." Alex starts to explain, but forgets what she's going to say as she looks into Piper's eyes. For once, the brunette doesn't look away. If someone was to walk in right now, they'd probably choke to death with laughter at how cliché the pair looked; a shy brunette getting lost in the eyes of a beautiful, sexy blonde she's just met. But there was no sound of anyone choking, only of the two women breathing quietly, as if speaking would pierce the bubble that seemed to encapsulate them. Piper spoke first.

"I want to." She whispered. Alex believed her and silently nodded her agreement, still staring back at the blonde whose crooked smile had returned, but without the condescending air from this morning. The desire in her eyes still burned however, only heightened by the fact she had touched the taller girl moments before and felt a warm feeling spread through her whole body. Piper could definitely get used to that. "Let's go!" She encouraged, breaking reluctantly from Alex's gaze and turning to grab her blazer. Alex followed suit, shaking her head as she attempted to wake herself from the trance she'd been lost in moments ago. What the fuck happened there?! Alex was not usually the type for puppy love and staring contests, but she felt lost in Piper's eyes. Still, she thought. It felt good to be lost in the right direction.

* * *

"After you, m'lady." Piper tells Alex, motioning for the brunette to get into the waiting car.

"This is your car?!" Alex exclaims incredulously, her eyebrows rising. "But no one drives in this city!" Piper smirks, pleased with Alex's reaction to her gleaming, brand new Porsche.

"I drive in this city." Piper states abruptly. "Get in, for God Sake!"

"Right, okay...sorry." Alex apologises, clambering awkwardly into the passenger side. The car was so low to the ground Alex wondered if it would even go over speed ramps. The blonde shuts the door once she sees the other girl is safely inside, and crosses over to the driver's side. Unsurprisingly, she gets into the car much more gracefully than Alex, giving her a great view of Piper's long, tanned legs. Buckling her seatbelt, the CEO turns to her new secretary.

"Ready?" she asks, turning the key in the ignition and revving the engine. Alex is pretty sure she's going to leave a puddle in the middle of her seat she's that turned on.

"Sure!" the younger girl tries to sound confident, but Piper has that knowing smirk back on her face. "So where are we going?"

"My apartment," Piper tries to keep a straight face but, _**God**_, Alex's expression is probably the funniest thing she's ever seen. Her eyebrows are nearly off her forehead, her green eyes are as wide as the blonde's ever seen them and her mouth has formed a perfect 'O' shape. It's also really fucking adorable.

"You're what?! Why? I thought you meant to Starbucks or something!" Alex is mortified, being alone in an office with her boss was hard enough, but being in Piper's apartment was a whole other ball game.

"Please, that hellhole is crawling with that awful disease known as the teenage white girl. Are you uncomfortable with coming to my humble abode, Miss Vause?" Alex seriously doubts there's anything humble about where Piper Chapman lives.

"No, I'm not; your apartment sounds great Piper."

"That's better." Piper states smoothly, weaving her way confidently around the streets of New York. "What are you afraid of, Alex?" The blonde doesn't mean to say it, but say it she does and her voice is kind rather than accusing. Alex could list a few things she's afraid of, spiders and death being two of them, but she knows that isn't what the blonde means.

"I don't know." Is all Alex can muster, but she means it as in she's afraid of how she doesn't know what she's feeling. She doesn't know why the blonde has her in such a state, or why she wants so desperately for the blonde to like her. That's what scares Alex Vause; she doesn't _**know **_anymore. Piper understands.

"You know, Alex." She begins. "It's a terrible thing, I think, to wait until you're ready. I feel like no one is ever really ready for anything; there is only now. So, generally speaking, now is as good a time as any." Piper finishes, hoping Alex understands what she means. She doesn't want the brunette to be afraid of what she's feeling. But what Alex says next catches Piper absolutely unawares.

"Did you just quote fucking _**Hugh Laurie**_ to me?!"


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you for all your lovely reviews! I love you all. Pretty long update this time, about 4k. Hope you like it! Shoutout to gayfortaylo aka Lou who helped me with the idea of the spillage during cooking, ily girl!

* * *

Piper's laughing so much she nearly crashes the car into a goddamn streetlamp.

"I sure did, sweetheart. You've have a good ear!" the blonde laughs, scrunching her nose and glancing over to her passenger who also has a large grin on her face. Piper almost blushes; she has no idea where that horrendous quote came from. In all seriousness, however, she hopes Alex understands what she means under all the satire. Piper at least wants her new secretary to feel comfortable and relaxed around her, even if it means waiting a little longer for her to come around to the idea of sleeping with her new boss. It almost amazes Piper how within a few hours of meeting the brunette, she's already so concerned and interested in her. And it's not just Alex's incredible good looks (although they do help); it's the manner in which the young girl carries herself. The little smile she does when Piper cracks a joke or the way her eyebrows raise when the blonde says anything inappropriate. Piper finds herself wanting not only to fuck Alex until she forgets her name, but she wants to comfort her when she's sick and watch movies with her in sweats sitting on the couch. And she really doesn't know what the fuck she's going to do about that, because Piper Chapman does _**not **_give a shit about relationships. She's never been in love with anyone; in fact most of her friends would say she's married to the job. Which up until now, the blonde didn't think was such a bad thing. She was beginning to change her mind on that.

The pair settles into a comfortable silence after their small fit of giggles as they approach Piper's apartment.

"I've never been to this part of the city." Alex explains, peering out the windows of the Porsche and noticing the lush greens of a small park, inside which is a pond with a wooden summer seat beside it. Surrounding the park on three sides are multiple brownstone apartments, but on the side opposite there is only one block, at the top of which is a huge white construction, which Alex correctly surmises is Piper's. "It's beautiful." The brunette smiles over at her boss, surprised that she lives in such a serene area of New York.

"It's quiet, I like that sometimes." Piper shrugs. Alex is surprised by this; she had Piper pegged as the party-animal type after her hangover comment this morning. She says nothing however, unbuckling her seatbelt as Piper expertly pulls into her garage. Before she can step out however, Piper steals out of her side of the car and has Alex's door open for her before the younger girl can even blink. The blonde offers Alex her hand and she gladly takes it, stepping into the cool air of the garage and standing to her full height.

"How gallant of you." Alex drawls sarcastically, laughing when she sees Piper's mock hurt expression.

"I figured you'd want a change from sleazy guys running their hands all over you in a club without even knowing your name." Piper tries to say it light-heartedly, but anger laces her tone when she even entertains the thought of any man doing that to Alex. Instead of picking up on the blonde's anger however, Alex instead picks up on the fact that Piper knows she's straight (she _**is**_ straight, right?) yet still seems to flirt with her and look at her with that desirous look in her eyes; Alex feels like she's getting whiplash.

"I do. Thank you, Piper." And Alex really hopes her boss picks up on how genuine she's being. Piper smiles back at Alex, but there's a hint of antagonism in her baby blues. The blonde walks slightly in front of Alex, heels clicking and hips swaying slightly as they enter the foyer. Alex's heart begins to race as the pair walk into the elevator. She's going to be alone with Piper in her big fucking apartment, and Alex is incredibly apprehensive about the whole thing. The doors slide shut and an uncomfortable tension fills the air. Alex notices her boss looks uncomfortable too.

"Are you alright?" Alex asks quietly. Piper turns to her and nods vehemently.

"Sure I am, kid. Tight spaces aren't really my thing though." She explains; another thing about the blonde that surprises Alex. Piper Chapman is turning out to be quite the enigma underneath the CEO's hardened exterior. "Are you?" Piper bounces back smirking at the brunette.

"Never better." Alex replies nervously, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Stop _doing_ that!" Piper yells suddenly, her voice rising.

"What? Stop what?" Alex yelps, her heart almost jumping out of her chest.

"That _thing _you keep doing with your glasses! Piper says as if it's the most obvious thing in the fucking world. "It's really hot and unless you want me to jump you in a fucking elevator I suggest you stop it."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Alex snaps. "I just fixed my glasses! It's a nervous habit, Piper. How about you reign in your flaming libido? Are you actually getting horny because I moved my glasses up my nose?" Alex's incredulous tone rings out across the tiny space and her face involuntarily heats up. Never in a million years did she think that four hours into her new job she'd be hurling that last line at her new boss. Piper meanwhile is absolutely roaring with laughter. Her eyes are squinted and her nose is scrunched up and it's probably the most adorable thing Alex has ever seen. Under normal circumstances Alex would sharply reply "Why don't you stop _that?_", but she misses the opportunity and sighs despondently instead.

"I'm sorry, kid. I like teasing you, what can I say?" Piper says upon hearing her. "Look, we're here now. I'll try to stop being such an asshole while we have lunch." Alex doesn't believe her for a second and steps out of the elevator without replying, walking towards the door at the end. Piper follows behind her, laughing quietly to herself. This is going to be fun, she thinks.

* * *

"You don't fucking live here. No way." Alex stands slightly inside the huge expanse of Piper's apartment, rooted to the spot. It's like something off a movie set. To her left is a huge breakfast bar, surrounded by metallic pots and pans hanging up on the walls, an oven, an AGA, two hobs and various other culinary items. To her right is some sort of working out station, with a yoga mat and weights and a treadmill. Behind this, the brick wall juts out slightly and is covered mostly by a huge flat screen TV, underneath which is a coal fire. Opposite the extravagantly large television is a huge sofa which is unsurprisingly leather and white (does Piper have some sort of white leather fetish?). A coffee table sits in front of it with a laptop on it and a few novels. Directly in front of Alex is a rather large space uninhabited by much, leading to a small step. Ahead of this are three heavy wooden doors and a wooden staircase leads to what is presumably the first floor of many. Around the staircase however, is what intrigues Alex the most. Large mahogany shelves are lined with hundreds of novels, almost like a small library. As if Piper could get any hotter, she's read everything too. Alex isn't surprised.

"Yes way." Piper smiles, stepping back and waving her hand across the wide berth of the room. "Now go make yourself at home while I go make us some lunch. You like chicken, right? " Alex steps tentatively further into the apartment, afraid that making too much noise or moving too swiftly will cause her to wake up from what must obviously be some elaborate dream, back in her tiny little studio apartment.

"Sure, I like chicken. And beans." Alex doesn't know why she adds the second part, mentally kicking herself for being so embarrassing.

"I haven't got any beans, sorry sweetheart." Piper calls back from the kitchen. Alex walks over to the coffee table and picks up the novel sitting on top of the pile. It's an old, tattered copy of 'Catch-22'. Of course Piper would be into the classics. She can't help smiling however; it's a great book and one that seems to fit the blonde well. Alex carefully sets the book back down and walks over to the miniature library below the stairs. The brunette runs her finger carefully over the spines of some of the titles. She recognises most of them, but there's a view old fashioned books Alex has never heard of.

As Alex absentmindedly strokes the books, seemingly deep in thought, she fails to see Piper staring at her intently from across the room. Unbeknownst to the secretary, her new boss has made a decision. Piper's decided that she didn't bring her here for some quick fuck on top of the breakfast bar; and now that's she's decided that, she's not sure why she brought Alex here in the first place. "I just want to get to know her..." Piper thinks, but her conscious warns her that she hasn't got a clue what she's doing. Piper Chapman doesn't _**get to know**_ people; she flirts with them, fucks them and forgets them. But there is no way in hell she could ever forget Alex Vause. Piper knows she could go over to the younger woman and start kissing her on the neck, running her hands over the curve of her hips displayed so prominently by her tight fitting trousers. And Alex would let her, because she needs this job. Piper can see in the girl's eyes that she's desperate to make it as an artist, even if it means letting her new boss fuck her. Alex would absolutely enjoy it; she'd make all the right noises and respond how Piper wanted. But she wouldn't be doing it out of _**love**_, she'd be acting out of fear; she wouldn't say no to Piper because then she could run the risk of losing her job. So Piper stays exactly where she is and continues making their lunch. If the blonde wants to sleep with Alex, and she absolutely wants nothing more, she's going to have to work on her powers of persuasion. She needs to make Alex so desperate for her that _**she **_will be the one that will come to Piper, not the other way around.

* * *

"This is good, Piper." Alex motions to the sandwich in front of her. Piper had made something quick and simple; chargrilled chicken on ciabatta bread with lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers and red onions. "I didn't have you pegged as the domesticated type."

"Oh really?" Piper smirks, taking a sip of her wine. It may only be one pm, but after the day they'd had so far, both women agreed that a drink was in order. "Why's that?" The blonde is pleased to see Alex coming out of her nervous shell slightly and teasing Piper.

"I dunno, maybe it had something to do with the Porsche, or the killer heels or the throwing around Macbooks like they're paper airplanes. Something like that." Alex laughs. "I figured you might as well go all the way and have your own private chef."

"I don't know whether to be offended or complimented." Piper shot back. "I like cooking, though. It relaxes me." She shrugs nonchalantly. "So what do you think of my books? Is my taste in novels of any particular amusement to you?"

"Not amusement, no... You have good taste, I'll give you that, but there's a distinct lack of any Shakespeare?!" Alex has a shocked expression upon her face as the pair descends into a heated debate over literature, lifestyle and whatever else takes their fancy. Alex could listen to this woman talk for the rest of her life; the way her brows knit together when Piper is explaining something or the way her face screws up when she laughs are two of the most beautiful sights the brunette has ever laid eyes on. Alex's thoughts are relatively clean, only very rarely like when Piper bites her lip or tosses her hair over her should does the younger woman find her mind racing very quickly to the gutter. She stops trying to fight it after the third lip bite, allowing herself just a moment to think about how that lip bite might look from between Alex's legs, or how it could be Alex's fingers making the blonde toss her hair rather than simply their conversation. There's just no way Alex has the balls to do any of that, however. "If I tried to fuck her she'd probably break my neck..." Alex thinks, frowning slightly. Yes, Piper was flirting with her. Yes, Piper said she would jump her in the elevator. But Alex Vause did not fuck girls like Piper Chapman. Alex Vause did not fuck girls _**period**_. But for the sake of argument, even if Alex was a lesbian, it didn't change the fact that Piper was absolutely out of her league. She was tall, leggy and blonde, absolutely loaded with cash, well read, funny, lived in a dream home, and above everything else Alex could actually see herself spending a lot of time with Piper. She can imagine being her girlfriend. But none of this matters; Alex is quickly learning that it's the hope that kills you every time.

It was quickly becoming evident that the two women had gotten their wires very much crossed. On the one hand there's Piper who thinks she can persuade Alex to make the first move, and on the other hand there's Alex who thinks that if she makes the first move she'll lose her job. It seemed like it was going to be a case of who cracked first; Piper who was scared that making a move on Alex would be taking advantage, or Alex who was scared that making a move on Piper would ruin her life. The blonde was not used to the waiting game, but Alex was finding it very fucking difficult indeed to stop herself from pulling Piper right across the table and kissing her soundly on the lips. The whole situation was borderline comical.

Walking slowly, Piper carried their plates over to the dishwasher while Alex pawed at her mouth with a red napkin. Alex's eyes involuntarily followed the smooth, natural sway of Piper's hips as her gaze travelled downwards over her ass. It was probably illegal in some countries to be as sexy as Piper Chapman. The blonde saunters back over to the table as Alex quickly reaches to pour the rest of the wine into their half empty glasses, needing a drink to try and draw herself from the lustful haze clouding her mind.

"Let me get that." Piper says smoothly and reaches to grab the bottle. Alex however is still on edge and Piper's voice startles her from her fantasy. The younger girl's arm jerks back and knocks against Piper's outstretched fingers, sending a strange jolt up Piper's whole arm, causing her to withdraw her hand abruptly, unceremoniously bump her elbow into her wine glass and proceed to spill it all over her Armani top.

"FUCK!" Piper jumps back from the small river flowing from her glass, dripping onto the cream table cloth and down onto the mahogany floor.

"Oh my God." Alex's chair scrapes against the floor as she stands up and runs her hands through her hair. "Jesus! I am so sorry!"

"No, kid, my name is Piper, remember?" The blonde retorts. "Save that for later, sweetheart. Help me fix this. It wasn't your fault." Piper laughs, grabbing a cloth from a drawer and wiping at her t shirt. Alex is then frozen on the spot, because Piper's movements have drawn attention to the small fact of the older woman's soaking wet top. If it clung to her before, the garment is now stuck to her, and Alex can clearly make out the subtle planes of Piper's stomach and the dark contrast of her black bra against the pink wine stain. The brunette is absolutely fixated and she doesn't even notice that Piper sees her staring. "Maybe this could work out in my favour..." the blonde thinks. Outloud, however, she says "Hey, earth to Alex? If you could stop staring at my chest for a moment could you take this cloth and wipe up some of this mess? If you want to see what's underneath all you have to do is ask, baby." Piper winks as Alex looks her in the eyes. But it's going to take more than that for Alex to rip her boss's clothes off.

"Don't flatter yourself, Pipes. I was just thinking about how you carry yourself with such confidence yet manage to spill a glass of wine all down yourself." Alex smirks back at her boss, not letting Piper's teasing get to her as easily as it had this morning.

"She called me Pipes!" Piper inwardly squeals. No one had ever called her that before, but it was probably the only nickname she'd ever liked. However, that probably had to do with how it sounded in Alex's sultry tones. Piper doesn't reply to Alex but rather offers her a sneer instead. The pair work in silence for a moment and manage to mop up most of the mess, but the problem of Piper's t shirt still remains. Walking to the sink together and setting the cloths down, Piper looks up at the taller girl through her lashes. "I need to change my shirt now, thanks to you."

"And I need to change my fucking underwear but you don't hear me complaining!" Alex thinks, but instead she says "I thought it wasn't my fault?"

"Well, it was actually, and now this fucking shirt is stuck to me, so you're going to have to help me get it off." Piper smiles winningly. Alex's jaw drops.

"What? Why? It's not that sticky, Piper." The brunette folds her arms.

"Look, can you at least unzip it at the back?" the smaller woman asks, her left eyebrow raising.

"Whatever. Turn around, then." Alex begins to feel slightly nervous. She was taking Piper Chapman's fucking shirt off; surely she was going to wake up from whatever the hell this was in a minute. Piper smiles triumphantly, turning so that Alex can pull down the gold zip that runs from the top of her neck to the middle of her spine. The secretary wills her hands to stop shaking for a moment and places her left hand on Piper's shoulder and uses her right to pull the zip, slower than needs be but the sexual tension in the room seems to demand patience. Alex pulls the zip down, but doesn't really make much of a move to step back from the blonde. Her right hand drops but the left trails down between Piper's shoulder blades slightly before following suit. Piper turns back around, and this time it's her cheeks that are flushed. Alex cocks her eyebrows and smirks, knowing this goes down on the board as a win for her. But then, as she so often does, Piper tears up the rule book and throws it in the fire as she proceeds to take her t shirt off right there in the middle of the fucking kitchen. Alex would ask why the blonde didn't wait until she got into her bedroom to change, but she already knows the answer. Also, Alex is pretty sure she can't even form a coherent thought as she drinks in Piper's body. Piper's slender shoulders are now bare, and her collarbones are slightly defined, something Alex hadn't been able to make out under her top. Something she could make out however, was the blonde's black lacy bra which was now in full view. Piper's breasts are not overly big but they're a perfect size for her body shape and Alex is certain she could get used to touching them. Managing to move on down her body, the brunette can see her boss's flat, toned stomach and a slight V cutting in from her hips. Alex's mind is filled with visions of lazy mornings waking up beside Piper, tracing patterns absentmindedly over Piper's stomach as she kisses her awake. Alex doesn't know whether to laugh, cry, kiss Piper or slap Piper so she chooses instead to move her eyes back up to Piper's face which is now devoid of any teasing. The blonde's pupils have slightly dilated and her lips are parted, an expression which Alex knows she mirrors. Alex is mere inches away from tangling her hands in those blonde locks and pulling Piper flush against her, but she misses the opportunity as the smaller girl's face breaks into the smuggest expression Alex has ever seen.

"Thank you Miss Vause." Piper says, licking her lips and turning to go find another t shirt. She is absolutely beside herself at how well the whole thing turned out. The wine spilling incident had been an accident, but every word, movement and expression from then on had been part of a carefully thought out plan to lure Alex in. And it had worked brilliantly. Piper could see the lust in Alex's green eyes and could feel her warm breath on the back of her neck when she was peeling down the zip. Of course Piper could have taken the top off herself, but where's the fun in that? Picking out another cream top from her wardrobe, the blonde strides back into the main of the apartment where Alex is fidgeting nervously with her nails. Before Piper can speak to her however, her iPhone vibrates from her handbag. She recognises the caller ID as her head of transportation, Big Boo.

"I'll be right back." She promises. Alex nods understandingly, still reeling from the earlier encounter. As she watches Piper go back the direction she came, Alex is again left pondering on what to do next. It won't be long before she probably fucks up the rest of her life by kissing Piper, but it seems to be more and more likely that the blonde is going to be worth it. Her internal monologue is interrupted by a loud cheer coming from Piper's bedroom. Alex raises her eyebrows questioningly as the blonde reappears, grinning from ear to ear.

"I hope you brought your dancing shoes because tonight, we're going clubbing baby!" Piper yells rushing over to hug Alex quickly. Despite only meeting her hours ago, Alex feels comfortable in Piper's embrace and responds by instinctively wrapping her hands around her older woman's waist. She's immediately hit by Piper's scent, and of course she smells fucking _**amazing. **_It's like vanilla, honey and something else that Alex can't quite place.

"How come?" Alex asks, puzzled by Piper's sudden show of affection.

"The shipment from London just arrived and we've got a buyer, so I am now officially five hundred grand richer than I was ten minutes ago. I need to go back to the office to iron out the final details, but tonight we're going to celebrate!" Piper's face lights up. "And, of course, you're coming with me to meet everyone. You'll have fun, I promise kid."

Alex ponders on the offer for a moment, but when she considers Piper was half naked after a glass of wine, the brunette is understandably encouraged by her prospects of being around a drunken Piper in the heaving environment of what will undoubtedly be New York's best nightclub.

"Sounds like a good plan." Alex smiles, as Piper claps her hands giddily.

"Oh baby, you have no idea." The blonde replies cryptically. What a good plan indeed.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry for the extra 24 hours to wait for the update but I want to take my time with this. Hope you like it, it's over 5k! Another A/N at the bottom!

* * *

The trip back to work in Piper's car is similar to the first; the pair becoming more comfortable around each other the longer they talk. Alex doesn't pry too much however, a she realises Piper doesn't like to talk about herself much. Apart from what she's read in magazines, the brunette knows nothing about her boss's upbringing, her rise to the top of the artistic ladder or her romantic involvement, but somehow it doesn't feel right to ask. So instead, they talk about menial stuff like work and television. It's pleasant, enjoyable even, but there's still the small elephant in the room; the undeniable chemistry that seems to fill the air in the car. It follows the pair as they walk back to the office, and it fills their lungs as they go their separate ways, Alex sitting at her desk and Piper striding into her office, closing her door and slumping against it.

"_Fuck me." _She thinks. Piper's been in this job a long time and this is easily the most stressful day she has ever had. She can't believe how this stupid fucking girl is making her feel. Every time Alex talks about something she's passionate about, the blonde can feel herself getting turned on as well as her heart swelling so much she feels it's about to rise up into her throat. Alex Vause could read an obituary and Piper would probably still soak her goddamn panties. And then Alex does something nonchalant like smooth her hair back or play with her ring finger and Piper can feel herself getting pulled in deeper and deeper. The problem is Piper doesn't know how to stay afloat. At six months old, Piper Chapman is abandoned by her father (to this day she doesn't even know his name), because he's apparently too cool for fathering a child with an alcoholic mother. At ten, Piper Chapman is abandoned by her then best friend, because she refuses to jump out the back of a fucking bus. At eighteen, Piper Chapman is abandoned by her mother, because the doctor tells her the cancer has spread too quickly. Everyone the blonde has ever loved, ever been pulled in by, has upped sticks and left her. Sure, Polly sticks around, but Piper knows her "best friend" is just along for the ride, complete with champagne dinners and joyrides in a Ferrari. So Piper is scared, as scared as she was that day in the hospital when her mother told her the op didn't work, because Alex Vause has her pulled in, hook, line and sinker. Sighing heavily, Piper moves away from the door and sits down heavily at her desk chair. There's work to do, and the brunette on the other side of the door will just have to wait to reel her in.

Said brunette is not faring much better. Alex is quite happy, however, to imagine a life with Piper (she's so far in already that she couldn't give a fuck if Piper's a woman). She isn't scared of what might happen once they're "in love" ("_like that will ever happen",_ she thinks), but it's the falling in love that makes Alex's chest tighten and her heart beat quicker. She wants to ask Piper everything about her life, wants to know why the blonde laughs things off when the conversation gets heated, wants to figure out why she puts a wall of sarcasm and confidence up instead of talking about her feelings. But Alex is so _scared _of pissing Piper off, of pushing her too far and ruining what they have before it really gets going. She isn't scared now of teasing or flirting like she was this morning because Piper wants that, Alex knows she does. Alex is scared that what would a first kiss filled with promises of hundreds more for her, would just be a simple drunken act for Piper that doesn't mean anything. So where does she stand? Is this all a game for Piper, or does she also see herself eventually falling in love with Alex? "_I could always go in there and ask..."_ Alex thinks, but if she barges in there all guns blazing declaring her unyielding love for a woman she met five hours ago, she's pretty sure she'll be on the next subway home (alone). So she does absolutely nothing, typing away at her laptop and probably putting more effort into her work than any of Piper's last secretaries combined. If she can't be Piper's girlfriend; she's sure as hell going to be a good secretary.

The rest of the day passes quickly and before Alex realises it's already five o'clock, the end of her shift. If someone had told her this morning what her day was going to turn out like, she'd of laughed in their face and told them to take a hike to the nearest psych ward. She knocks on Piper's door quietly and opens it when she hears that smooth voice tell her to come in. It actually takes her a moment to locate her boss, but she's seated on a couch beside the large window that makes up the entire back wall of her office. Piper has an expression on her face that Alex can't quite place, but she is evidently deep in thought. It's pretty cute, actually, and Alex almost leaves without disturbing her. Before she can go however, Piper quickly rearranges her face into a smile and beckons her secretary over.

"What's up?" She asks, raising her left eyebrow.

"Oh, well, it's five, so I was just telling you I'm going home now. What's the deal with tonight?" Alex's voice comes out quieter than usual, and Piper notices the younger girl is nervous about the prospect of clubbing with New York's finest.

"Give me your phone." The blonde encourages, standing up and stepping closer to Alex. Wordlessly she reaches into her bag and pulls out a white iPhone, typing in her password and passing it over to her boss. Piper works quickly, adding herself as a contact and texting herself so she'll also have Alex's number.

"I'll text you the deets, sweetheart." Piper flirts exaggeratingly, adding a wink.

"Sure thing. Bye Piper, thanks for a...great first day." Alex smiles, stuttering slightly as she tries to find the right adjective to describe her experience. It's been such a ludicrous ordeal that there isn't a damn word in the dictionary to define it, so she settles on great.

"No problem, see you tonight kid." Piper waves her off and is staring at her ass when Alex suddenly stops walking and turns back.

"Hey, Piper..." the blonde's heart begins to beat slightly quicker as she raises her eyebrows in question.

"Can I bring my friend Nicky?" Alex asks, looking at the ground and fidgeting as if it's the hardest question she's ever asked. Piper lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Sure, kid." She smiles.

"Really? Great!" Alex's face lights up. "Thanks, Pipes. See you then!" She waves, grinning and turning to walk away. She doesn't get very far however, as Piper's velvety voice rings out.

"Hey, Al! Wear something sexy for me!" Piper laughs then, loud and hearty and she seems genuinely happy, so Alex just laughs along with her and raises her eyebrows suggestively. Suddenly, she feels a hell of a lot calmer than she did five minutes ago.

* * *

Alex can feel the calmness dissipating from her as she looks in her wardrobe. Funnily enough, she doesn't own many clothes appropriate for going clubbing with her incredibly attractive female millionaire boss. It's two hours before she's supposed to be at the club, and the brunette has already showered (twice), but she's stumped when it comes to picking out a dress. Despondently Alex begins to rifle through her clothes as she gets her feelings in check. _"This is not going to be like something out of a fucking novel."_ She advises herself. _"You are not going to waltz in there, grind up against Piper for ten minutes and whisk her off into the sunset."_ Alex knows she can over exaggerate a little, but she has to keep reminding herself that she's known this woman for about eight hours. "_Take it slow."_ Her mind urges. Desperation is a massive turn off, right? So Alex decides on a plan; she's not going to be putty in Piper's hands. Alex Vause is going to play hard to get; she's going to beat Piper Chapman at her own game. If she comes off too keen, Piper might find it a little heavy and back off. Alex literally can't think of anything worse than scaring the blonde off, so she imagines a little teasing won't go amiss. She won't make a move, not tonight. Tonight she's going to go meet her co workers, have a little dance and a few drinks (although she's working tomorrow evening so maybe nothing too strong). Happy with her plan, Alex picks out a little black dress and a pair of black heels. The dress fits her like a second skin, with a plunging neckline and lace sleeves coming to her elbow. It stops mid thigh and shows off her long, shapely legs and the heels will probably make her the tallest woman in the room. Content with her outfit, Alex curls the ends of her raven hair slightly and pins it up at the front, the way she often does when she dresses up. Her makeup is minimal as per usual; she keeps her lips blood red and just flicks her eyeliner out slightly further than she would do at work. Alex takes her time, and by the time she's put her jeweller y on she's already late. Cursing under her breath, she quickly packs her clutch and runs out of the apartment as fast her heels will carry her. Breathing heavily, she hails a cab and takes a deep breath as she tells the driver the address. _"This is it," She_ thinks. "_Time to get my game face on."_

* * *

On the other side of town, Piper Chapman has a similar train of thought. She, of course, hasn't left yet; Piper always loves to make an entrance. Looking at her cocktail dress, Piper thinks it's going to be absolutely simple to get Alex to make the first move. The striking red number comes across her right shoulder with a smattering of sequins and leaves the left bare as well as her collarbones, gathering slightly at her left hip and not coming down much further. It's absolutely criminally short, but Piper doesn't care. Her Jimmy Choos are somewhere between nude and beige, and her hair is slightly wavy but looks natural. Her lips are of a similar colour to what Alex wore to work (and is wearing again tonight, but Piper doesn't know that yet). If Alex Vause if able to resist her boss tonight, then she deserves some sort of fucking medal.

"Wow, you look fancy." Drawls Polly as she walks into the bedroom.

"If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that, I'd be a millionaire. Oh wait, I already am." Piper fires back, smirking over at her friend.

"So humble." The other girl mumbles.

"Flattery gets you nowhere, Pol. Let's go." Piper motions to the door. She would usually comment on her friend's attire, but tonight Piper frankly couldn't care less if Polly wore a fucking bin bag to the club. Tonight was about Piper, her business deal, and Alex. Polly was simply invited because it would be rude, even by Piper's standards, not to. Piper walks out the door, waiting for Polly to come behind her before locking it and striding to the elevator. The pair make small talk, but Piper's already bored by how the brunette seems to talk with a condescending tone about _every_thing. Not like Alex, who speaks with an uplifting, passionate voice most of the time. Someone once told her that comparison is the biggest thief of joy, but comparing Polly to Alex gives Piper quite a good laugh. The blonde strides out of the block confidently with her friend trailing along behind her, excited by the prospects of the evening to come. Her driver is ready and waiting and Piper climbs smoothly into the nearest rear door, leaving Polly to get in the other side.

"To the Litch please, Donaldson." Piper clicks her fingers indicating for her driver to get moving. Settling into her seat, Piper takes a drink from the flute of champagne provided and smiles contentedly as she prepares to put her plan into action.

* * *

"For the _**last **_fucking time, I am a guest of Piper Chapman and if you don't let me in right now I'm going to get really fucking angry with you." Alex growls at the obnoxious bodyguard standing at the doorway.

"Sure you are, hunnie, and I'm the fucking queen of Sheba." The tall, lanky man with a ridiculous moustache laughs down at her. "Move along!" He barks. Alex sighs frustratingly; she's been arguing with the bouncer for the last ten minutes. He doesn't seem to believe that Alex really was invited here by Piper, and the club is off limits to anyone not on the guest list. Temper rising, Alex pushes her glasses up onto the top of her head and tries the best she can to get in the man's face.

"You listen to me, you condescending cunt, if you don't let me in I am going to call Piper right now and I swear to God-" Alex is cut off by a warm hand being placed on the small of her back.

"What's the problem here?" Alex hears that velvety smooth voice and inhales that vanilla scent before she sees the blonde appear beside her. "She's with me, Mendez. I hope you weren't giving her any trouble." Piper sneers, her voice threatening. "I wouldn't want to have to punish you."

"Of course not, Miss!" Alex almost laughs at the burly man's change in demeanour. "Just a little disagreement, right?" His eyes plead with Alex for her to corroborate with his excuse.

"Actually, Pipes, he was basically harassing me." Alex bats her eyelashes and feels Piper's arm around her waist instinctively tighten.

"I'll be looking into this, you piece of shit. Now get out of the way." Piper practically drags Alex past the dumbfounded bouncer and into the club. It's probably the coolest fucking place Alex has ever seen. Is Piper's life based off some sort of fantasy movie? The lights hanging from the ceiling are designed as neon cuboids in green, yellow and pink, and there seems to be UV lighting coming from around the edge of the ceiling because everything white has a glow to it. The floor of the club is designed in a similar neon fashion, and there must be at least three floors in the damn place (a huge bar on each level). _"Holy shit..."_ Alex thinks. Piper reluctantly moves her hand away from the warmth of Alex's body as she whispers in her ear.

"Go find your friend, kid. Then come to the bar on the third floor, I'll see you there." The blonde smiles crookedly and waves her secretary off, not before raking her eyes up and down Alex's body the way she did this morning. To say she wore something sexy would be an understatement. "_God I hope she finds her friend quickly and gets up to that bar soon."_ Piper was beginning to think the hardest part about tonight was not going to be convincing Alex to kiss her, but rather keeping her own hands to herself.

Alex found Nicky surprisingly quickly, hugging her crazy-haired best friend from behind.

"Jesus, Vause!" Nicky cried. "You almost gave me a fuckin' heart attack! Where've you been? Why are you dressed like a hooker?!" Alex laughs at the much shorter girl as she fires off a reel of questions.

"It's nice to see you too, Nichols. I've been outside; the fucking bouncer wouldn't let me in until Piper came and told him I was with her." Alex explains.

"Oh, Chapman to the rescue. Are you?" Nicky grins up at her best friend since high school

"Am I what?" the brunette is puzzled.

"_With_ her, I mean."

"What the fuck, Nicky? No! I just met her today, I told you that!" Alex narrows her eyes as Nicky chuckles loudly.

"Sure, Vause, you told me alright. But did you tell yourself? I mean, look at your dress! It's like you're begging for it man." Alex knows Nicky is only teasing her, but she blushes furiously anyway because she knows her friend is right; she put in a hell of a lot of effort for tonight.

"Shut the fuck up, Nichols!" Alex yells but she laughs along with the smaller blonde. "Remember who got you in here! Follow me, and be nice!" the brunette pleads with her friend, well aware of her tendency to be a little over the top.

"As always. Lead the way, stretch." Nicky bows exaggeratingly and trots alongside Alex as they make their way to the third floor. Alex slows slightly as a wave of nerves crashes down upon her. The enormity of what she plans to do tonight and the stress of the day so far seems to hit her all at once.

"Hey, listen." Nicky is serious for a moment. "It'll be fine, Vause. Go get her. I'll go get us some drinks." Alex smiles gratefully and nods at her typically understanding best friend. Throughout her life, Nicky seems to have been the only constant, an anchor as Alex tried to navigate the choppy waters of life after college, life in New York away from her parents. As Nicky peeled away into the darkness of the club, Alex roamed the third floor looking for that familiar crop of blonde hair. The floor is humming will a comfortable buzz but it's not overcrowded and the bass is not thumping loudly yet. Finally, Alex spots Piper standing beside a red headed girl at the bar. She takes a moment to roam over her boss's form; sees how the pathetic excuse for a dress (it's basically a long t shirt it's so short) fits her perfectly and shows off her ample breasts and her tight ass, how her neck is exposed as she leans her head back to take a shot, slamming the glass back on the bar and grimacing slightly. She looks like something off a catwalk, and Alex feels another bout of nerves overcome her. This is going to be harder than she thought. Nicky's shrill cry of "Vause!" pulls Alex out of her internal monologue and over to the bar. Nicky's got them a margarita each to kick off, and Alex gladly takes a gulp, feeling instantly calmer as the alcohol flows down her throat and into her bloodstream. She shrugs when Nicky raises her eyebrows in question. Alex opens her mouth to answer when Nicky's eyebrows stay firmly fixed in position, but she's cut off by a low voice in her ear.

"It's _a little cold out for a margarita_, don't you think?" the voice questions.

"Piper." Alex breathes.

"That's my name sweetheart, don't wear it out." The blonde grins, motioning to the bartender to put the drinks on her tab. "You must be Vicky right?" Piper asks the small blonde accompanying Alex.

"It's _Nicky, _Blondie. Don't wear it out!" Nicky sneers back, mocking Piper's accent. Alex nearly chokes on her drink at that.

"I don't plan on it, sweetheart." Piper fires back without missing a beat. Alex is too busy studying Piper's blue eyes for a hint of antagonism that she doesn't even notice the brunette beside her boss. Clearing her throat, Polly introduces herself to Nicky but Alex still fails to even register her existence, content to gaze back at Piper who's looking at Alex with the same expression from this morning; as if trying to decide if she wants to rip her clothes off or talk to her. Judgement and desire, that's what had Alex recognised it as.

"Hi, I'm Polly!" Chirps a voice from beside Piper.

"Hi Holly." Alex mumbles, still staring at Piper who now has that infuriating crooked smirk on her face. There's something else in the blonde's eyes now that Alex has never seen; it looks like apprehension but it's gone before Alex has a chance to study it. The look is quickly replaced by humour as she realises what Alex has just done in calling her friend Holly.

"Um, hello? Could you two could stop this weird soul searching shit and actually register that there are other people in the room _please?"_ Polly huffs, embarrassed that her best friend's tall new secretary refuses to even look at her. The secretary's friend is also looking at Polly with an irritating smile and Polly can feel her face heat up. She smacks Piper on the bicep to try and break her from her trance. She gets nothing in return. "What the fuck?" she looks at Nicky for help who just shrugs and takes a slow drink from her glass, watching the pair intently. Alex has a small grin playing at the corners of her mouth and her eyebrows are slightly raised, while Piper is alternating between looking at the girl's lips and into her eyes.

"_**HOLY FUCK!**_" Nicky yells suddenly, slamming her glass on the table and her eyes widening.

"What?" Piper and Alex yelp in unison, finally breaking eye contact and staring at Nicky.

"Oh, it's nothing actually. Thought I saw something but it turns out it's just two massive fucking lesbians making me feel sick with their lovey-dovey eyes. Sorry!" Nicky smiles crookedly, sipping her drink and laughing as she watches Piper and Alex blush simultaneously. Polly just looks absolutely horrified.

"Right, err... anyway. What's your name?" Polly tries again with the tall brunette.

"My name is Alex." She replies, still glaring at Nicky who now has a sarcastic look of apology on her face.

"Well _Alex_ if it isn't too much trouble to you, do you think maybe you could look at me when you're talking? Also, my _fucking_ name is not Holly, it's" Polly begins to shout before Nicky interrupts her and pulls her towards the dance floor

"Hey, Polly Hobby, why don't we leave these two alone for a moment, hmm?" the blonde pleads, tugging her by the arm without waiting for an answer. Finally alone, Piper and Alex laugh quietly at the events that just unfolded.

"Hi." Alex smiles, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose and brushing her hair back from her face.

"Hi." Piper replies, taking a drink from the tall glass in her hand. "You look...fucking incredible, kid." Alex feels her knees go weak at the comment but recovers quickly.

"You don't look half bad either, Pipes." The brunette drawls. They almost lapse back into that weird staring shit, but Piper manages to pull herself together again. God damn that tall, sexy, husky voiced life ruining woman.

"Ready to go meet your new co-workers? I promise it won't take long, and then we can really have fun." Piper winks suggestively but Alex doesn't let herself mull over it for too long.

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Alex whispers, but Piper hears her anyway. They walk over to a group of people at the middle of the bar. Piper introduces Alex as her new secretary and there are a few catcalls and inappropriate comments like "Is _that_ what you're calling them now, Chapman?", but the group are extremely welcoming and Alex feels at home talking to them. A lot of them are like her, budding artists looking for experience under one of the best in the business. The brunette talks to some guy who's wearing a fucking sweater in a club and introduces himself as Harry, or Larry or something, but frankly he could be talking in Klingon for all Alex cares. Instead she's focused on Piper who's beside the red-headed girl again. Alex can't remember her name but she thinks it's something like Sarah, or Rachel or god knows what. She doesn't give a shit what her name is; Alex is more concerned with how the dumb whore is giggling at everything Piper says, and staring at her and practically wrapping herself around the blonde. Piper looks mildly disgusted by this but occasionally she affords the other girl a smile or a drunken giggle when she's talking (talking bullshit probably). The man in the sweater is still rambling on in Alex's ear, but the intense feeling of hatred the brunette feels for the girl with Piper is deafening and her eyes narrow, her irises flaring with jealously. And like she always does, Piper catches Alex's eye. She looks her up and down then motions to sweater boy with a raised eyebrow. Alex does nothing expect glare back, tilting her head slightly at the bitch wrapped around Piper. Piper is absolutely unmoved by this, so she takes a big gulp of her drink, winks at Alex from across the room and proceeds to drape her right arm across the red head's shoulders, staring at Alex the whole time. The blonde is obviously quite drunk at this stage, and it's probably more for support rather than an indication of her affection for the girl, but it pisses Alex off and she sees red. She turns back to the guy in the sweater and suddenly laughs.

"What's so funny?" He asks, puzzled.

"The fact that you actually think I've listened to a word you've said." Alex snaps, knocking back the rest of her drink and leaving the pathetic man there to stand and wallow in his self pity.

Piper watches Alex leave and withdraws her arm from the girl beside her. She feels bad, but mostly she feels absolutely hammered, so she downs the rest of her drink, untangles herself from the random girl's limbs and strides off to find Alex. The brunette didn't get very far; she's in the middle of the dance floor, eyes closed and hands in the air, oblivious to Piper staring. The blonde watches her from afar, follows the way her hips sway to the music and notices how her face is perfectly serene, as if her jealousy from minutes ago never even occurred. But Piper knows if Alex were to open her eyes she'd see a fire burning there, anger and contempt directed at Piper for pulling her little trick with the red head. But Alex's eyes stayed closed behind her glasses and the blonde moves around the dance floor so she can surprise the brunette from behind. The music is louder and the floor is crowded, but all Piper can see is that raven hair and those red lips, all she can hear is the sound of Alex's breathing when she moves closer to her.

Piper presses her body against the taller woman, who initially recoils from the contact, but upon the scent of vanilla filling her nose, she grinds back against Piper. They continue like this for a while, the blonde's front against Alex's back until the brunette suddenly turns around and their gaze locks. Piper was right; there is a fire burning in Alex's eyes but her pupils are dilated and she isn't angry anymore. Frustrated, maybe, but it's more of a sexual inclination rather than contempt. Alex pushes herself closer to the blonde, her glasses almost hitting Piper's nose. Piper doesn't know if it's the alcohol, or the way Alex feels against her, but she honestly couldn't give a fuck about plans and first moves or any of that bullshit now. All she cares about is Alex Vause. Piper splays her hands across Alex's hips as they continue to move to the beat of the music, staring lustfully at each other. It isn't like earlier in the night, when there was humour in both their expressions; both sets of lips are parted slightly instead of smirking. Alex has her hands in Piper's hair then on her neck, her shoulders, everywhere on the older woman's body seems to be in contact with Alex and Piper feels like she's on fire, high off a drug she can't get enough of. Alex's eyes are almost black now and it takes every ounce of Piper willpower to turn her back and press herself against Alex's front. The brunette moves her hands from Piper's sides up to her hair, brushing it over her left shoulder and letting her hands trail down the blonde's neck. Piper turns over her right shoulder and looks at Alex with what she hopes is a sexy smirk up through her lashes, but her mind so clouded she has no idea what's she's doing. Piper's heart thumps in her chest as Alex's hands run up and down her body, driving her insane with desire and frustration and every feeling under the sun. The blonde feels like she's ready to collapse whereas Alex has a smirk playing on her lips and looks absolutely unruffled by what's going on. Piper's so far behind in their little game now, she's lost heavily and she hasn't got a fucking clue how any of this happened. She can't even form a coherent thought to try and sift through how the tables turned so dramatically, but all she's aware of is the fact she's turned around again, and Alex's hands are still everywhere and she still has that infuriating smirk on her face. Finally in that split second her mind clears enough for Piper to make two quick decisions. One, she abandons her ridiculous plan of making Alex want her more than she wants Alex because that is literally impossible. Two, she decides that she'll wipe the smirk off Alex's face the only way Piper knows how. Piper moves her hands from Alex's hips to around her neck and smiles devilishly up at Alex, whose expression doesn't change because she thinks Piper's still playing. But, truthfully, Piper was a goner from the moment she first laid eyes on the brunette. She's never been one to hold back and this time wouldn't be any different.

"_You're a shitty loser."_ Piper thinks to herself as she leans in and presses her lips against Alex's. It's tentative at first, and Alex doesn't immediately kiss her back. Piper's chest lurches as she goes to pull away and try to explain what she's just done, but eventually Alex responds in kind, gripping the smaller woman by the waist and kissing her back fiercely. Piper smiles into the kiss and tangles her fingers amongst Alex's hair. She's never been so fucking elated (or turned on) over a simple kiss, and she's just so _happy_ that Alex is kissing her back. The blonde takes the lead, pulling Alex's hair as she deepens the kiss. Alex's lips are soft but she's surprisingly confident, kissing Piper back with as much fervour as the blonde provides. But it's not enough, a kiss will never be enough for either woman, so Piper pulls back ever so slightly with the widest grin on her face that Alex has ever seen.

"Wow." Piper whispers eventually, her face flushed, breathing heavily.

"Piper..." Alex says quietly, and the blonde nearly bursts into tears right then and there when she hears the brunette's tone of voice. It's not a happy sound.

"What? What is it?" Piper pleads, tucking a stray hand of hair behind Alex's ear.

"Take me back to your place." Alex demands, her voice husky and her eyes dark. Piper's grin gets impossibly wider as she drags Alex towards the door.

"With pleasure, sweetheart."

A/N: So, here's the deal. Is Piper doing this because she's drunk or because she really does have feelings for Alex? Is Alex really ready to go all the way with Piper already? Let me know what you want me to write!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Wow! Fifty reviews already! Thank you all so much, I read and appreciate every one! I know that some of you were expecting something different this chapter, but you have to remember these pair didn't even know each other until about sixteen hours ago. Don't hate me!

* * *

"_Take me back to your place." Alex demands, her voice husky and her eyes dark. Piper's grin gets impossibly wider as she drags Alex towards the door._

"_With pleasure, sweetheart." _

The words are out of Alex's mouth before she has a chance to realise the enormity of what she's saying. Obviously when girls ask Piper Chapman to take them home the blonde isn't going to think they mean for a cup of tea and a deep conversation about the current economical climate of America. But Alex can't help herself, she's never felt more alive than she did the moment Piper pressed her lips against hers; she's never wanted anyone or anything so badly in her life than the ravishing blonde currently pulling her into the cold New York air. It's terrible really; Alex has a rule that she doesn't even kiss on the first date, yet here she is going home to get fucked by a woman she met less than twenty four hours ago. "_I am definitely not drunk enough for this..."_ her mind screams, and it's apparent that Piper is. The older woman is giggling and kissing Alex's neck while they wait for Piper's driver to come pick them up. Alex tries to sort through her thoughts but Piper's ministrations on her neck are smothering her and she can only grip the blonde's waist tighter and bite her lip to stop from crying out. They're in the middle of the street, and Piper Chapman is basically a celebrity for god sake, Alex is surprised there isn't a small convoy of paparazzi lurking in the bushes. But no one pays much attention to them as the sleek black Mercedes-Benz rolls up, Piper grinning wolfishly over her shoulder as she struts towards the rear door. Alex basically stumbles after her, unable to think of anything except that hot little mouth of the blonde's back on her skin.

Piper throws herself into the car, moving over to the far side and patting the leather upholstery beside her. The brunette slides in as Piper leans over and tells the driver where to go. Alex's bravado from the club is quickly leaving her and stomach twists nervously. But then Piper's in her lap, the blonde's knees on either side of Alex's and her hands on either side of the brunette's face, blonde hair tossed over one shoulder and her bottom lip trapped between her white teeth. It is absolutely the hottest thing Alex has ever seen, and she forgets her nerves momentarily when their lips meet, Alex's hands gripping Piper's hips as the blonde's tongue traces her lower lip (unsurprisingly Piper is a very fucking talented kisser). The brunette moans slightly as Piper presses down in her lap and slips her tongue into Alex's mouth. She can feel Piper smile ever so slightly; even when they're kissing fiercely in the back of a car in front of a driver the blonde finds a way to be smug about something. Piper tasted like alcohol, like vanilla, like honey and Alex couldn't get enough. This terrified the girl and she knew that when the kiss finally broke she would have to make a decision. Alex could keep going like this, keep tasting Piper's lips, and inevitably end up in her boss's bed, or she could (hopefully) find it within herself to stop, to explain to Piper that it was too much too fast. It was so hard to think about anything else other than the feel of Piper's hands tangled in her hair or the weight of the blonde in her lap, and even though Alex was scared she still wanted it so _badly;_ she was turned on beyond belief and her body felt like it was on fire. But she couldn't do it, she was too chickenshit, Piper was too drunk and Alex knew they'd both regret it in the morning. So when Piper's lips moved to Alex's jaw, the brunette made her decision.

"Pipes." Alex whispered. The blonde continued kissing along Alex's jawline, moving up towards her ear.

"Piper." She repeated, firmly this time.

"Yes?" Piper drawled into the younger woman's ear, causing a shiver to run right the way up her spine and almost evaporating her willpower.

"I'm not... I can't do this. It's too much. I'm so fucking sorry." Alex was almost crying and she inwardly laughed at how the alcohol was affecting her. "I want to, believe me I want you so bad Piper but it's happening too quickly..." she was surprised at how much she managed to say before trailing off, blushing profusely and refusing to look at the blonde. Piper pulled back and rested her hands at the base of Alex's neck, looking at the brunette with an unreadable expression in the darkened interior of the car.

"Fuck. I'm sorry too Alex, I pushed you too far and I'm so drunk I didn't realise. I didn't mean to kiss you like that but I couldn't help it. I understand, baby, it's okay." It probably doesn't mean to come out in such a regretful tone, but Alex is so emotional right now she picks up on it anyway.

"It's okay, I get the picture. It was a mistake, you're drunk. It didn't mean anything. I'll just get a taxi home or something." Alex is distraught. She knew this would fucking happen. She tried not to get reeled in by Piper, but she'd honestly thought this was more than some drunken frisk in the back of a car.

"For fuck sake." Piper growls. "Look at me, Alex." She places her hands back on Alex's face and forces the brunette to look at her. Alex is met with a pair of blue eyes staring back at her from the dark, filled with a thousand unrecognizable emotions. "I didn't mean this was a mistake. I meant that I'm sorry for pushing you into something you didn't want to do. It clearly did mean something if I still want you to come home with me even if you don't sleep with me. Please, Al. I really do like you, this isn't just the alcohol talking. Just...come in for a nightcap or something." Piper smiles through the dark at Alex to try and show her how much she means it. Alex's heart soars, she's literally ecstatic at how her boss reacted to Alex's confession. "_It clearly did mean something," _Alex repeats the line over and over in her mind. Piper had said that, right? She didn't just imagine it.

"Okay." Alex smiles up at the blonde. Piper beams back at her for a minute or two until eventually the car pulls to a stop. Blushing slightly, Piper clambers off Alex sheepishly to allow the brunette to get out. Thanking the driver, the blonde somewhat stumbles out onto the dark pavement opposite her apartment.

"Whoa." Alex says as she instinctively reaches out to grab Piper's bicep and steady her. It's a small gesture, but it speaks volumes. Piper smiles gratefully up at the brunette as she dusts herself and laughs quietly. Piper hardly recognises herself; ten minutes ago she was making out with a gorgeous, tall, sexy brunette in the back of a car and now she's smiling bashfully up at the same girl with a warm feeling spreading through her bones just because she stopped Piper from falling. This is not how it usually goes for the blonde. It takes a surprising about of self control not to grab Alex's hand and entwine their fingers together, but Piper thinks it might be a bit much. The pair walk quietly into the foyer, sexual tension still buzzing between them but a comfortable silence envelops them as they walk. Usually, Piper would have her pride hurt by a girl rejecting her, but Alex's confession didn't feel like that at all. In fact, it simply sounded like a promise of more to come. They enter the elevator when Piper really starts to feel the effect of how much alcohol she drank.

"I'm so drunk." She whispers to no one in particular.

"I know you are." Alex says back, chuckling when the blonde groans and swears under her breath. She hears it though, because they're standing extremely close to each other for two people supposed to be taking it slow. So when Piper sways slightly on the spot, Alex doesn't think about it and wraps her arm around the blonde's waist, pulling the smaller girl against her so she can rest her head on Alex's shoulder. It's not a sexual gesture, but it isn't one that indicates Alex is only doing it because she feels obliged. She's just doing it because she wants to, really. She likes how Piper's warm, somewhat uneven breaths feel against her collarbones and she smiles up at Alex gratefully, blonde hair covering some of her face like the picture of innocence. She brushes the hair away from Piper's face as the doors slide open to reveal the familiar narrow corridor to the penthouse. This time though, when they walk, Piper takes Alex's hand without saying anything. It's an indication really of how their quickly their whole relationship has moved; five minutes ago Piper thought it would be too much to hold hands and now it feels like the most natural thing in the world. It might be the alcohol, but then Piper remembers how we get to choose who we let into our own little fucked up worlds, and she makes a silent, slightly drunken promise to tell Alex anything and everything she wants to know. If Alex asks what happened to her parents, Piper will tell her no matter how much it hurts. If Alex asks to know the truth about why Piper finds it so hard to fall in love, the blonde will explain as much as she can. Somehow, she thinks Alex will be the only one who actually understands.

* * *

"How're you feeling now?" Alex asks, looking at Piper who has her head in her hands.

"How does it look like?" Piper snaps, immediately cringing at her sharp tone. "Sorry, sorry. I am actually feeling...more sober now. I don't know if that's better or worse." She admits. Alex had fixed her up with a glass of water and a few tablets. They were sitting over at the living area; Alex on a chair to the left of the sofa where Piper had her legs tucked under her and her face slumped against the side. It was just past two am, but sleep was the last thing on either woman's mind. Alex laughs quietly and takes a drink from her water, although she's clearly faring better than her boss.

"I didn't have you pegged as a lightweight." She says, causing Piper to grin up at her sarcastically.

"I'm not a lightweight!" Piper tries to yell, but it comes out as more of a strangled groan. She rubs her hands over her face and sits up. Alex watches her intently from behind her glasses with a quirked eyebrow. "What?" Piper asks.

"Every time I think I have you figured out, you do something that throws me totally off." Alex explains, shrugging desperately.

"What can I say, I'm an enigma." Piper smiles, but she's heard the same from many people. Usually, however, people don't say the next thing.

"Well, I'm going to figure you out, Piper Chapman. Whether you like it or not." Alex whispers secretively. "_I'd like to see you try..." _Piper wants to reply, but she knows that Alex won't listen to her.

"Be careful what you wish for, sweetheart." The blonde says seriously, standing up and flattening out the creases in her dress. "Come on, I'm sick of this fucking one shoulder monstrosity." Piper walks towards her bedroom, Alex chuckling behind her. "Stop staring at my ass." Piper demands without turning around. The brunette blushes, wondering how Piper just seems to know everything. Goddamn sexy, blonde, know it all, smug asshole with a great ass. The older woman swings open the heavy oak door to her bedroom and as per usual Alex nearly has a fucking heart attack. Piper's bedroom is bigger than Alex's whole apartment. The floor is the same mahogany as the main part of the home, but the walls are papered with a dark grey pattern not unlike stone, and the wall opposite the door is simply made from huge window frames looking out onto the twinkling New York City skyline. Piper's bed is against the right hand wall, king sized and low to the ground, a slightly lighter grey than the walls. The bedside tables are a glossy black, matching the picture frames above the bed. Underneath is a huge off white rug, and at the foot of the bed is a grey three seater sofa. A plasma TV is on the opposite wall. The ceiling meanwhile is not simply plaster, but instead it's made from an off white gloss that matches the wardrobe covering most of the left hand wall. The tiny spotlights are surprisingly powerful and cast a warm glow over the huge expanse of the room.

"What the fuck." Alex doesn't mean to say it out loud, but she's so perplexed by everything in the room that she can't help it. Piper understands and just shrugs.

"I have to spend my money on something." The blonde mutters dryly. Piper walks over to her wardrobe and slides it open, pulling out a t shirt. "Do you want something to wear?" It's a stupid question and Alex replies in kind with a stupid answer.

"Actually I was just going to sleep in this." She jokes, gesturing to her dress.

"Hilarious, Miss Vause." Piper quips back, picking out a slightly bigger t shirt and firing it across the room. It hits Alex in the face and Piper smiles smugly to herself. "Want to come help me out of this dress? You really seemed to enjoy yourself earlier."

"I think you can manage yourself." Alex retorts and Piper pouts sarcastically.

"Wow, first you won't sleep with me and now you're afraid to see me half naked? I must be losing my touch." The blonde remarks, picking up her t shirt and walking out of the bedroom. She doesn't bother walking to the closest bathroom (because close in her apartment can mean a good thirty second walk), so she strides back over to the sofa and picks up her shoes. Piper steps out of her dress then and pulls the grey t shirt over her head. She may have a lot of money, but Piper is a sucker for a late night wearing nothing but a t shirt and a pair of cotton panties, curled up in bed with a glass of wine and a good book. But a glass of wine is probably not a great idea, so she'll settle for the first two and replace the wine with water and the book with a tall, sexy brunette. Piper can live with that. Throwing the dress over her shoulder, Piper picks up her heels in one hand and pads back towards the bedroom. The blonde opens the door slowly and almost collapses at the sight. Alex is still there, her dress discarded on the floor, but so is the t shirt. Alex is instead talking animatedly to someone on the phone, wearing nothing but a matching set of lace, black underwear.

"No, Nichols we are not going to have sex! What? No, I didn't throw up all over her!" Alex yells, unaware of her audience. "She's outside getting changed...I don't know, Nicky. Look, I have to" Alex is cut off by someone snatching the phone from her hand.

"Hey, Vicky! It's me again!" Piper giggles and ducks out of the way as Alex tries to grab the phone. "Alex is in great hands, hunnie, don't worry about a thing. She might be a little sore tomorrow, though." The blonde whispers, sticking her tongue out at Alex whose face has turned a beautiful shade of red. "Oh, what's that? You don't think I'd even get the dress off her? Well, I didn't even have to be in the room for that part! Now if you'll excuse us, Alex and I have things to be getting on with, don't we babe?" Alex has never been so embarrassed in all her life as she makes one last attempt to prise the phone away from the blonde's fingers. Piper is too busy laughing that she doesn't see Alex, so she stumbles at the sudden contact and falls onto floor below, her landing cushioned somewhat by the fluffy rug. Alex's momentum carries her on top of Piper, the phone clattering out of her hand as the brunette crashes down on top of her. Their legs have managed to become tangled and Alex's hair fawns over Piper's face as the younger girl looks down at her boss with a sheepish expression.

"Whoops." Alex breathes, her eyes widening as she realises the compromising position she has landed in. Piper doesn't say anything, she's too focused on how Alex's body feels against her, how her glasses are about to slip off the edge of her nose and how her hair tickles Piper's neck. The blonde has to squeeze her eyes shut and shove Alex off her to resist from kissing her again. Piper laughs nervously as she hands Alex her phone, the secretary looking at Piper with a confused expression as if she's afraid Piper is genuinely mad.

"You'll pay for that, Vause." Piper warns, but there's no conviction behind the threat, so Alex relaxes and walks over to put her t shirt on. The blonde props herself up on her elbows and enjoys how Alex's strong back muscles move when she pulls the shirt over her head and how her lithe arms pull themselves through the holes. It's a little short on her, but Piper's certainly not complaining about that.

"Sorry I don't have anything longer." Piper says, but she can't even sound convincing to herself as she roams her eyes over Alex's legs.

"Are you?" Alex retorts, her tone indicating that she already knows the answer. Piper laughs as she picks herself up from the floor. "It's nearly three o'clock; don't you have work tomorrow morning?" Alex enquires, because she knows she's scheduled to be in from 5pm onwards but she thought Piper might be in all day.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?" Piper laughs. "I made five hundred thousand dollars today, kid. I could take the rest of the month off and still make a profit. But I'll just skip tomorrow, I think. You can stay off too." Piper waves her hand dismissively as Alex's jaw drops.

"What about my pay cheque? I really need this money, Piper." Alex pleads.

"You'll get paid, Alex. Maybe even double. Just roll with it, it's my company, I pay the bills." Piper explains, smiling at Alex who still can't believe any of this is really happening.

"Wow... thank you, Piper. You don't have to do all this."

"I want to." Piper says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"So, Piper Chapman." Alex begins but Piper holds up her hand.

"Look, Al, I promise to tell you the whole truth about whatever you want to know. But not here. Follow me." Piper encourages, walking towards the window.

"Okay...where the hell are we going?" Alex wonders, fixing her glasses.

"On an adventure." Piper laughs, her eyes glinting in the low light of the room. Somehow, even though they're only in an apartment, Alex believes her.

* * *

"Who _are _you?" Alex asks, squinting at the girl lying beside her. They're in what Piper calls her "quiet room" (Alex had snorted quite loudly at that). The entire ceiling and furthest wall from the bed is made from window panes, allowing the starry night to stare back at them from above. There's a world map pinned to the wall on the right, and to the left is a small mini fridge and a table. It's a small room, but Alex can see how it would serve Piper well if she needs to clear her head. It's dark in the room, apart from the moonlight pouring in from above and the small lamp beside the bed the two women are currently lying on top of (but not in).

"You really want to know?" Piper asks, feeling nervous when she considers who she "really" is. Does she even know? Piper tends to bury her feelings under a layer of thick skin; she drinks, fucks women and imports art without really thinking about much else. Truthfully, she's scared of who she really is. If she thinks too much, Piper might lose track of what she always thought was important; making money and making sure the only person who can hurt her is herself.

"Of course I do." Alex encourages. Piper takes a deep breath and turns on her side to face Alex. She begins by telling her how she's never met her father, doesn't know his name, his story, never even seen a photo of him.

"It doesn't bother me much. It is what it is, right? I'm sure if he was even around anymore he'd of showed up as soon as I was appearing on the cover of magazines. It's hard to miss what you never had, you know?" Piper explains and Alex nods understandingly. The blonde then moves onto her rags to riches story, one she has actually told (albeit briefly) to reporters and magazines throughout the country.

"I wasn't one of the cool kids at school...hard to believe, right?" Piper laughs nervously. "My mom didn't have a lot of money, she did what she could to get me through high school, but I wasn't really interested. Smoking weed under the bleachers at football games was fun, sure, but I had no interest in these yuppie middle class white chicks telling me how to live my life. I was pretty gifted, though, so my friend's Dad let me work for him in an office. And boy was I a charmer or what? Every client that walked through that door walked back out with a smile on their face and the business picked up massively." Piper smiled when she thought back to that. "But still, it wasn't enough. So I started looking into my own little business ventures, picking up a cool art print here and there and then flogging it to someone on the street for more than I bought it for. I am like, really fucking talented at selling stuff, Alex, you have no idea. It's weird." Alex laughed and nodded again, contentedly listening as Piper explained how what had started out as a hobby grew into the massive company she has today.

"But where did the money come from? Like, how did you afford the building?" Alex asks innocuously enough but Piper's face darkens before she can hide it.

"It's...complicated." Piper's still not used to opening up but now Alex's curiosity is piqued there's nothing she can do. "You know how earlier I said if my Dad was still around he would have showed up by now?" Alex nods, and she's knows what's coming next. "Well, when I was nineteen I got a call from my bank manager who told me there'd been an anonymous transaction of...a lot of money...into my account. No record of who put it there or where it came from. It was both the creepiest and happiest day of my life." Piper deadpans. "My best guess is that it came from him, though, but I was too ecstatic to follow it up. I collected all the money, bought the building and set up. By the time I hit twenty people were starting to sit up and take notice of my...skills... and it just manifested into this huge _thing._" Piper doesn't think the word business even does it justice, so she settles on thing. "In some weird, sick, twisted way I've been really lucky. I didn't have to go through college (no offence), I got to live my teenage years the way I wanted and I've already made so much money that I could retire tomorrow and still be a millionaire by the time I'm seventy!" Piper laughs, but she is genuinely serious.

"Why don't you retire then?" Alex is still reeling from the fact Piper lost her Dad at nineteen yet she's so nonchalant about it.

"Because I love my job, despite what it looks like. Everyone needs something to love, right?" Piper shrugs in the growing darkness of the room, the moon overhead gliding behind a cloud.

"I guess. So, what about your mom? What's she like?" Alex changes the subject onto what she hopes will be a happier one. She's wrong; she's so fucking wrong.

"You mean what was she like?" Piper quips darkly and Alex's heart drops.

"No..." the brunette whispers and she feels Piper nod.

"Breast cancer, when I was eighteen." She explains in the quietest voice Alex has ever heard her use, and the younger woman's heart shatters when she hears it.

"Fuck me, Pipes, I am so sorry. I didn't know. Jesus, I would have never guessed." Alex whispers more to herself than the blonde beside her.

"It's not your fault. She was... fucking awesome, Alex. You would have loved her. She would do anything for the people she loved... it almost broke me Al, I swear to God..." Piper trails off, she didn't realise how hard it would be to talk about something that happened six years ago. Alex hugs her then, wrapping Piper up in her strong arms and the blonde just lets go, sobbing fiercly into Alex's chest. The brunette doesn't speak, just rubs circles soothingly onto Piper's back as she fists Alex's t shirt. She cries too, but she isn't sure if Piper notices. Alex mentally curses herself again and again for putting her foot in her mouth, for saying dumb shit she had no right to ask about. "_You're a fucking asshole, Vause. Leading Piper on and then chickening out, coming into her home, asking her about stuff she doesn't want to talk about. Absolute asshole." _Her mind screams at her. But Alex can't leave, not now. She couldn't even if she tried, for Piper has such an iron grip on her t shirt and her heart that Alex realises she's here for the long run, whether the blonde likes it or not.

"Hey, c'mon Pipes. She'd be so fucking proud of you. Don't cry." Alex whispers, but Piper just cries harder. The older woman probably hasn't allowed herself the luxury of tears for a long time. Alex tightens her grip around the sobbing woman beside her and continues her ministrations on Piper's back.

They lay like this, holding onto each other for dear life for what must have been at least half an hour before Piper calms enough to use Alex's t shirt as a makeshift tissue.

"Thank you so much for that. I bet I could sell this t shirt on eBay now for like a hundred bucks." Alex chuckles quietly.

"Don't be so ridiculous." Piper retorts, her voice hoarse from crying and muffled because she's still pressed tightly against Alex's chest. "It'd be worth at least a thousand." Alex laughs properly then, and it makes a welcome change from the piercing sobs that had been coming from Piper. Eventually, the blonde joins in and the pair giggle for a few moments.

"God, I am so fucking pathetic." Piper murmurs.

"No you are not, Piper, you're just hungover and feeling emo." Alex assures the blonde. "Speaking of hungover, it's going to be light outside soon so...is there anywhere for me to sleep?" the brunette asks.

"Alex. Look at the size of this place, there's about a hundred places to sleep." Piper waves her hand abstractedly.

"Right, of course." Alex nods dumbly and rolls off the side of the bed. Piper watches her with an amused smirk on her face. "Well, goodnight, Piper. Or good morning, whatever you prefer. Thanks for tonight." The brunette rambles on awkwardly as Piper tries to keep a straight face.

"Thanks for what? Crying into your t shirt? No problem, sweetheart." Piper smirks devilishly as Alex suddenly seems very embarrassed about the whole thing.

"No, I mean thanks for... talking to me." Alex cringes as soon as she says it, but she doesn't know how to word it. She has something to thank Piper for, but she doesn't quite know what it is.

Piper continues to chuckle as she too gets up from the bed.

"Where are you going?" Alex is not only embarrassed now, but also confused.

"To my bed?" Piper says, even though she literally just got out of bed. "I can't sleep in here, for god's sake, as soon as the sun comes up it's like a sauna in here. C'mon." Alex doesn't get a chance to respond as Piper drags her back to the first bedroom they were in. She lets go of Alex's hand and moves to the side to close the curtains. When the blonde walks back over, Alex raises an eyebrow at her.

"There's only one bed here." The brunette states. Piper has to take a moment to compose herself as she sifts through all the sarcastic replies she could give to that one. Clambering under the covers Piper says,

"There's a sofa."

"Oh yeah, alright." Alex nods sombrely as she trudges towards the hard, uncomfortable looking leather sofa.

"I'm kidding you fucking idiot. Get in!" Piper squeals, patting the bed beside her.

"What?" Alex is so confused and tired and hungover she just wants to lie down on the floor and pass out instead of playing Piper's little game.

"Come be my big spoon." Piper smiles tiredly up at the brunette. "No funny business, I promise." Alex nods slowly and climbs under the sheets beside the smaller blonde. Piper grins at Alex, but it's not like one of her smug, teasing grins. It's a proper smile that reaches her eyes and Alex feels warmth spread through her heart at the look of pure happiness on the blonde's face. Piper turns over onto her other side and Alex spoons her, marvelling at how well their bodies seem to fit together. "Goodnight, Al." Piper whispers as the stress of the day finally catches up to her and she begins to succumb to the blissful feeling of weightlessness that sleep provides.

"Goodnight, Pipes." Alex murmurs back, her raspy voice sending a tingle up the blonde's spine.

"Hey, Alex?" Piper asks.

"Hmm?" the brunette hums into Piper's hair.

"Thanks." She says, and that's all that needs to be said. They both know that tonight has changed them more than a few hours of passionate lovemaking on a sofa would have, but they're happy. They're warm and safe and comfortable in each other's arms and Piper feels a million times lighter than she did this morning. She's still fucked up, but it feels absolutely blissful to have someone like Alex alongside her for the ride.

"No problem, kid." Alex replies, before following the blonde into a deep, dreamless, euphoric sleep. If this is how it feels to follow Piper Chapman, then Alex Vause will never get tired of it.

* * *

Thanks for reading, leave a review if you feel so inclined.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you kindly for all your lovely reviews! Hope you enjoy this one, it took me a while. Sorry for any typos but it's 3am.

* * *

It takes Piper approximately three seconds to remember where she is. It takes her another two to open her eyes fully. It takes the blonde five seconds to remember whose arms are wrapped tightly around her waist, but no matter how long or how hard she tries, she doesn't think she'll ever really figure out why she's so content right now, despite the fact she's still fully clothed in bed with a stunningly attractive woman (this is not a scenario Piper is used to at all). Sure, it would be nice if they were naked and breathless, but Piper's as happy as she has ever been to just lie still with her head on Alex's chest, listening to the deep, even breaths coming from the brunette. She's not sure how they ended up like this in their unconscious state, but Piper's lying slightly horizontal across the bed, resting her head and chest on Alex's body, encompassed securely in the younger woman's arms. It's not the most comfortable position, but they made it work, because judging by the already darkening sky visible through the slit in the curtains, they've slept through most of the afternoon. Piper reluctantly lifts her head from Alex's chest and marvels for a moment at the brunette's picturesque face. Her lips are parted slightly and her eyes are firmly closed, the only indication that she's even alive being the steady rise and fall of her chest. Careful not to wake her guest, Piper slides remorsefully out of Alex's warm embrace and tiptoes out into the main area of her home. Her phone lies discarded on top of the sofa, but work is the last thing on Piper's mind right now. She pads over to the kitchen and takes a long, hard look in the fridge before pulling out a few rashers of bacon. It may be about four pm, but anytime is a good time for bacon in her book. As Piper goes through the motions of cooking her favourite hangover cure (a tried and tested recipe), she tries to sort through her emotions from the previous night.

While it was difficult to compress everything down into just a word, if Piper had to pick a handful to use to describe her feelings throughout the night, her feelings towards Alex and simply Alex herself, she would choose... _different, unusual, foreign,_ or something along those lines. It was unfathomable to the blonde that she'd told most of her life story to a woman she barely knew, but there was something about Alex that told Piper she was going to have to tell her eventually. Whether it was Alex's raspy voice or her charming green eyes filled with a thousand unspoken promises, there was something absolutely addictive and intoxicating about her that made Piper slightly crazy. It was quite evident then, that something serious was going on now, that this was not one of Piper's little games she liked to play with women; if she tried to fuck around with Alex she would probably get a short shift. But what was most alarming to the blonde was that she didn't _want_ to play games with Alex, she wanted to treat her well and take her out to dinners and really get to know her. Startlingly, Piper could almost see them together. After all, Alex was willing to stay even when she'd got a taste of how fucked up Piper was, a quality that the blonde had not yet found in anyone else (not that anyone actually knew how fucked up she was). But Piper Chapman didn't know the rules; she'd never had a proper girlfriend, never had someone to come home to at night, never cooked breakfast for a girl. "_Well now you can cross that last one off the list." _She reminds herself as the sweet smell of freshly cooked bacon seeps through the apartment. Piper decides she's just going to do what comes naturally to her; she's going to charm Alex Vause into falling for her. That might be quite difficult; however, as Piper's pretty sure she's already metaphorically face planting for the other girl more and more with every passing minute in Alex's company. She's not proud of how quickly she's become smitten with Alex, but it's real and it's happening right now and there's nothing much she can do to stop it, not that she even wants to.

Funnily enough, Alex Vause is not used to waking up in the bed of a millionaire. More than that, however, she's certainly not used to waking up in the bed of an infuriatingly charming, beautiful blonde woman either. So she is understandably disorientated when she opens her heavy eyelids and looks around her blurred surroundings. Groping wildly, her left hand eventually finds her glasses and Alex pushes them onto her face as the memory of the previous night filters into her mind. _Piper, kissing, crying, wrestling, bed, spooning_ are all words that bounce from side to side in her brain as the brunette tries to get her bearings. The first thing she notices is that Piper isn't there, and that actually upsets her more than it should. The bed still bows slightly on the side where the blonde was sleeping, so Alex guesses (hopes to God) she's only gone to the bathroom. Alex doesn't move from her spot underneath the covers as her mind is suddenly overloaded with disjointed images from last night. She remembers the taste of Piper's lips, the feel of her in her lap in the car, the way she'd held Alex's hand and how it had been both the most beautiful and most heartbreaking thing in the world to see her cry. The brunette understood now that she was more than just a shoulder for Piper to cry on, because Piper Chapman didn't do crying on shoulders. The manner in which Piper let herself go in Alex's arms was a remnant of how the blonde seemed to trust her so much. So that left Alex, more scared than she was before their night out. She was absolutely terrified of how quickly she'd developed such an infatuation with the blonde, and what it meant for them going forward. Piper liked her back, that much was obvious, but the depth of their feelings towards each other was unknown. Could Alex really have fallen in love with someone over night? She doubted Piper could, but Alex was really fucking scared about how much she liked the feeling of Piper's head on her chest throughout the night.

She would later realise that the fear of falling in love with someone is already silent love.

Alex's morose examination of her feelings was interrupted by the bedroom door opening slowly, and a sigh of relief involuntarily slipped from between her lips as the object of her concerns stepped into the room.

"Someone's happy to see me." Piper quipped, the tray of bacon and coffee balanced between her hands.

"Don't flatter yourself, Pipes. I'm much happier to see the plate of food you've lovingly slaved over for me." Alex teased, her voice low and raspy with sleep. She peeled back the covers so Piper could climb back underneath and set the tray between them.

"Good morning to you too, asshole!" the blonde retorted as the pair fell back into their comfortable back and forth banter.

"I don't like bacon." Alex lied, and Piper's face dropped for a moment before she realised Alex was obviously joking.

"I don't give a fuck." Piper deadpanned as she took a bite of her toast. They chuckled quietly in the dim lighting of the room before Alex realised something.

"Piper? What time is it?" Alex asked, remembering that they hadn't fallen asleep until nearly six in the morning.

"Half four!" Piper chirped, cocking her eyebrows as Alex choked on the piece of bacon she was eating.

"What! Why didn't you wake me! We've wasted the whole day!" Alex knew Nicky was going to be absolutely freaking out that she hadn't called. Piper watched the brunette intently, cocking her eyebrows as Alex looked at her for an explanation.

"Well you seemed to be enjoying trying to squeeze the air out of my lungs, so I thought it would be best not to disturb you." Piper offered and Alex felt her face grow warm.

"Actually, Piper, it was you who decided to conveniently wrap yourself around me, where else was I supposed to put my arms?" Alex shot back. "Who knew the great Piper Chapman was such a fan of cuddles?" It was Alex's turn to smirk now as the blonde narrowed her eyes at her secretary.

"Shut the fuck up, and eat your bacon. Besides, the night is still young, Alex." Piper whispers mysteriously.

"Are you trying to sound deep?" Alex replies sceptically, taking a swig of coffee from her mug.

"No, I'm trying to ask you out on a date." The blonde says nonchalantly. Alex chokes on the coffee.

"But we just spent all last night together!" She splutters, before realising how rude it sounds.

"Jesus, you could've just said no thanks!" Piper tries to act cool, but she feels a strange pain in her chest at Alex's rejection. She'd actually gone to a lot of effort to cook breakfast for her only to have it thrown back in her face.

"No, I didn't mean that, it just came out." Alex murmurs sheepishly. Taking Piper's hand, she manages to meet the blonde's gaze for once and feels tremendously guilty for the hurt she sees in it. "I would love to go on a date with you, Piper Chapman." She grins. "_Wow, that was fucking corny." _She thinks.

"Wow that was really fucking corny sweetheart." Alex isn't even surprised that Piper now sounds like a mind reader on top of everything else. She sticks her tongue out at the blonde and the pair finish their breakfast (late lunch) in a comfortable silence. Suddenly, a thought strikes Alex.

"Why are you so eager to take me out on a date straight away?" She's not complaining but it seems odd after they'd seemingly agreed to take it slow.

"What, is there a time limit or something?" Piper replies, but she doesn't meet Alex's gaze.

"Pipes." Alex states abruptly, sitting up straighter in the bed.

"Okay, well..." Piper begins. "I'm going to Milan tomorrow and I wanted to take you out before I left. It seemed like a good idea." She trails off quietly, and Alex is damn sure it's the most adorable thing she's ever heard. Seeing the usually confident woman acting nervous around her evokes a rather odd feeling of pride in Alex. But she's disappointed, incredibly so, to learn she's going to be separated from the blonde after only meeting her the day before. Pulling herself together, Alex smiles comfortingly over to Piper.

"Like I said, I'd love to go out with you." She hopes the older woman can hear the sincerity in her voice. Piper returned her smile warmly, rubbing her thumb over Alex's knuckles. She really was going soft.

* * *

The pair worked slowly to clear up the plates from their food, not so subtly stealing glances across the kitchen at each other when they thought the other woman wasn't looking. Alex marvelled at how the grey t shirt hung off Piper's lithe frame, and she wondered how much time the blonde must spend working out. Piper meanwhile, was more concerned with how much better her old t shirt looked on Alex than it did on her. She wasn't about to ask the taller woman for it back anytime soon. It was already dark outside when Piper dropped her secretary back at her apartment, shouting from the car that she would pick her up at eight.

"Dress fancy!" Piper reminded her and Alex grinned, waving goodbye as the blonde drove the Porsche off into the night. She drummed her well manicured nails on the steering wheel as she waited for the traffic near her apartment to clear. Her flight to Milan was in about twelve hours, so Piper knew there was no option of inviting Alex back to her apartment for "coffee" after their date. _Date. _The word sounded foreign to Piper; the truth was she'd never offered to take anyone out on a date. She'd lost count of the amount of times she'd been on the receiving end of an invitation, but never before had the blonde asked anyone out. It was comical really; Piper was this sexy, confident, leggy blonde, yet she'd never even dated anyone. She didn't know the rules, or really how to go about it, but she figured making dinner reservations for two would be a good start. Piper dialled the number for 'Masa' on her hands free and moved the car forward slowly as the traffic began to clear. The thick French accent of her old friend rang out into the interior of the car.

"Monsieur Bernard, this is Piper Chapman." The blonde's voice took over an involuntary business-like tone. "I know it's late notice, but I need my usual table ready for eight o'clock tonight." Piper grimaced at Bernard's sharp intake of breath.

"Miss Chapman, this is _very_ late notice, even by your standards." He scolded her.

"For fuck sake, I know! This is really important, I'll pay double?" She tried to reason with him. A long sigh came from the other end of the line.

"See you at eight o'clock, Miss." Bernard muttered, disgruntled at how he would probably have to cancel an A-list celebrity's reservation now. Piper smiled happily and hung up, pleased with herself. She always was the persuasive type.

* * *

"Wow, you are the luckiest fuckin' bitch I ever met, Vause!" Nichols screamed when she read the text over Alex's shoulder.

"What? She's just texting me." Alex shrugged casually as she set her phone down.

"Yeah, but the _she _is like the richest bitch in New York! Not to mention she is fuckin' smoking!" Nicky exclaimed, perplexed as to why her best friend wasn't flipping out. Truth be told, Alex was going crazy but for different reasons. She was nervous to spend a night, one on one with Piper, despite the events that transpired the previous evening. Dinner at what was bound to be one of New York's fanciest restaurants was a whole different ball game to bonding over hangovers. Alex had a middle class upbringing, sure, but she wasn't posh by any means.

"I don't like her because of the money." Alex reminded the shorter girl.

"Ah, so you like her then?" Nicky grinned crookedly up at her friend as the brunette's face turned red.

"She's...different." was all Alex could reply, turning back to the mirror to finish applying her lipstick.

"Well, all I can say is welcome to the softball team!" Nicky laughed, walking out of the bedroom and leaving Alex alone with her thoughts. Apparently, Nicky had gone home with the receptionist Alex had met the previous morning, Morello or something. Alex had been otherwise engaged during Nicky's explanation of her evening, her thoughts drifting back to Piper. _"What if she goes to Milan and doesn't come back?_ Her mind offered. "_Or worse, what if she meets someone in Milan and loses interest in me?" _Alex's stomach twisted at that. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, the brunette instead tried to focus on the here and now. Her dress was a nude colour, coming down to her mid thigh and detailed with silver across the front. It was open at the back down to the middle of her spine, with sleeves that were mostly sheer, save for a few more silver detailing here and there. Her heels were black, similar to the pair she wore last night. Alex left the front of her hair down this time, pushed to the side slightly and wavy rather than curled. She hoped all of this added up to what Piper meant when she said to dress "fancy". Alex glanced at her phone again, re reading her last text from Piper.

**From: Bae (**yes, Piper had actually added herself into Alex's contacts as fucking _**bae, **_but the brunette didn't have the heart to change it, not that she really wanted to_)_

_**I'll pick you up in five.x **_

That was four minutes ago, so Alex said goodbye to Nicky (who waved her off with a "_Tell her I want an autographed nude!") _and opened the door to her apartment, deciding she would save Piper the bother of having to get out of her car. However, she was too late as she opened the door and almost walked into the blonde who was just in the process of raising her hand to knock. In her hands were a bunch of the biggest red roses Alex had ever seen, but as per usual it was Piper who Alex couldn't take her eye off. The whole eye fucking thing between the two was becoming a regular occurrence. Piper's dress was slightly longer than last night's, a cobalt blue number that hugged her figure tightly with sleeves that came to her elbows. There was however, a slit up the left side of the dress above Piper's leg that left little to the imagination. Her heels were also black, but slightly higher than Alex's and her hair was slightly curlier than usual. _"Holy shit."_ Alex thought, but apparently she'd said it out loud because Piper immediately burst into laughter.

"Holy shit to you too. Now, take these flowers and let's go before I change my mind and we end up going nowhere except your bedroom." Piper said it jokingly, but the look on her face told Alex she was actually deadly serious.

"You brought me flowers?" Alex raised an eyebrow as she carried them inside to set them on the kitchen table. Piper hovered outside and fidgeted with her nails.

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?" She countered.

"Sure it is. Thank you, Pipes." Alex told her, not noticing that Piper didn't seem too sure of herself. Piper grinned up at the brunette as they walked down the steps to her car.

"Hi." Piper whispered. Alex chuckled lightly at her sudden shyness.

"Hi." Alex murmured back. "Oh my god. Is this your car?" Alex gasped when she saw the red Ferrari parked at the side of the road.

"Sure is. Well, one of them. My favourite one." Piper explained, opening the passenger door for Alex. "It's for special occasions." The blonde closed the door softly behind Alex before skipping over to the driver's side.

"This is a special occasion?" Alex teased, but judging by the flowers and Piper's unusually chivalrous attitude, she already knew the answer.

"Of course." Piper says, and her voice is unusually devoid of sarcasm. Alex doesn't like it. It's setting her more on edge than she already was, and that's saying something. The blonde pulls out into the street as Alex tries to ignore her boss's unnerving change in demeanour.

"So are you going to tell me where we're going?" Alex enquires, and she's rewarded with a trademark smirk making its way onto Piper's lips.

"What do you think, sweetheart?" Piper grins and the brunette shrugs, admitting defeat. "You'll like it, hopefully." The blonde adds. "So, what did Nicky say?" Piper attempts to make small talk with Alex. The reason for her strange behaviour, unbeknownst to Alex, is that Piper is extremely fucking nervous; she's out of her depth for the first time in her life. What if Alex doesn't like the food? What if she gets bored? What if Piper doesn't impress her enough and she finds someone else while she's in Milan? The blonde's mind is full of what if's, and she just wants to make Alex happy, she wants the brunette to stick around. No one ever really stuck around when it came to Piper, and now she's found someone she desperately wants around, she's in danger of fucking up because of that very reason. Alex's dulcet tones pull Piper from her anxious thoughts as she answers her question.

"Nicky? Oh, you really don't wanna know what she said about you, Pipes." Alex laughs, and Piper does what she's supposed to and laughs right along with her. The conversation begins to flow and the blonde settles, Alex's calming presence relaxing her. She seems to have this way of making Piper both absolutely crazy, and also incredibly serene and relaxed when she's around. Piper can't even imagine losing her temper because of something Alex has done. They pull up to the imposing restaurant, Piper jumping out of her side and opening the door for Alex as usual.

"Are you going to do that all the time, Pipes?" she whispers into the blonde's ear as Piper wraps an arm around her waist.

"Don't complain, I could be doing much worse to you, Miss Vause." Piper replies suggestively, handing her keys over to the valet who greats her with a familiar smile. Alex doesn't recognise the restaurant (it's in a part of Manhattan that's so exclusive she'd feel as if she was trespassing if she ever visited it). The pair walk to the entrance arm in arm, both shivering slightly from the cold evening air of New York. It was the sort of terrifically dark night where you felt as if you were disappearing every time you crossed a road. Piper greets a small, beady eyed man and speaks to him with the sort of accented French Alex would expect to hear on the streets of Paris rather than New York. What a damn surprise, Piper is multi lingual on top of everything else. It's pretty attractive, though, much like everything else the blonde does. The tuxedo-clad man leads them inside, and not for the first time that evening Alex nearly collapses. The ceiling is high and wide, from which hangs an enormous glittering chandelier that casts bright warmth across the restaurant. The floor itself isn't overly big and save for a few tables in the middle, it's mostly occupied by red velvet booths around the side. Every table is occupied, but it's unnervingly quiet and Alex feels like everyone has suddenly stopped eating to stare at Piper Chapman and the tall brunette on her arm. It hasn't really dawned on Alex that she could be on the cover of a magazine or something in the morning. The waiter leads them to a more spacious, secluded booth on the edge of the room, and there's already a bottle of chilled champagne waiting for them. Alex feels like she's walked right into the middle of a Hollywood movie, and she almost asks Piper where the cameras are. The pair sit opposite each other and Alex watches Piper intently as she speaks in rapid French to the waiter pouring their champagne. She's decided that it's a really big fucking turn on listening to the blonde talk like that. Piper seems slightly agitated, however, and something still feels off to the brunette. The waiter places a menu in front of each woman before striding off, muttering something under his breath. Alex raises an eyebrow at Piper who's chewing her lip and trying to burn holes through the menu with her eyes.

"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong or do I have to try and figure that one out myself too?" Alex asks the blonde who whips her head up, seemingly surprised to hear someone talking to her. Piper's face softens as she takes in Alex's concerned expression.

"Nothing, he's just unhappy that I've landed in at the last minute. I mean, we could've gone somewhere else but..." Piper trails off and Alex takes her hand that's resting on the tabletop.

"What is it, Pipes?" Alex presses, rubbing her thumb smoothly over Piper's knuckles to try and get the damn girl to just _relax._

"I wanted to impress you." Piper murmurs, and Alex nearly kisses her right then and there in the middle of the restaurant, judgemental upper-class onlookers be damned.

"Oh, Piper. You don't have to impress me! I'm not going anywhere." Alex soothes, incredulous as to why the blonde is acting so strange. Suddenly, it clicks. "Oh my God." Alex cries.

"What?!" Piper looks at her with a shocked expression.

"Do I make you nervous, Piper Chapman?" Alex chuckles darkly as she finally seems to have got one over on her boss. Piper feels her cheeks heat up as she realises she's been caught out. Fighting to regain her composure, she replies quietly.

"Yes, okay, you make me fucking nervous, Alex!" Piper whispers harshly. "Despite what it looks like, I have never done this before! I don't know the rules." The blonde's temper falls and quickly as it has risen and she regards Alex with a wary expression. The brunette has a cocky smirk on her face. "_My, my, how the tables have turned."_ Alex thinks.

"Oh, well that's the whole problem isn't it?" Alex's gaze flits between Piper's eyes and her lips. Her tone lowers slightly. "Rules aren't any fun." Piper has to bite her lip, close her eyes and squeeze her thighs together at that. Alex grins crookedly at Piper's reaction and continues touching the blonde's hand, enjoying having the upper hand for once. Piper may be able to render Alex speechless with her outrageous comments, lavish cars and swanky restaurants, but Alex is no stranger to turning on the charm. Alex reluctantly let's go of Piper's hand and opens the menu as the blonde across the table tries to sort herself out. Opening the menu, Alex thinks she's seeing double at the figures on the page.

"What the fuck!" She almost yells, glaring at Piper who raises her eyebrows. "Piper, the fucking food here is like three hundred dollars a pop!" she hisses, and Piper shrugs.

"So?" She replies, perplexed at the brunette's sudden outrage.

"So, if I were to actually order a meal, which I would have liked to do, it's going to cost me about six hundred dollars!"

"Okay, kid. One, you're not fucking paying for it." Piper replies. "And two, you will order whatever you want and then some, because this?" Piper gestures to the menu. "Is where I decided to take you, and I'm prepared to pay the price, if you'll pardon the pun." Piper laughs at her own joke but Alex still looks pissed off. "Seriously, Alex. It makes no odds to me whether the meal costs ten bucks or a thousand, so get whatever the hell you want. I'll be more annoyed if you don't order something than if you order three portions of the most expensive thing on the menu." Alex nods begrudgingly and turns her eyes back to the menu. It does look good, she has to admit. Piper clicks her fingers in the most over confident manner Alex has ever seen, and a waiter appears at the edge of their table. Piper orders a bottle of their finest red wine, and some chicken dish that Alex can't even pronounce. Alex meanwhile, orders what she supposes is the closest thing to a steak she's going to get in this damn place, and the waiter collects their menus with a smile that doesn't quite reach his face.

"You're popular." Alex quips when he leaves.

"They don't like the media attention I bring." Piper explains as if it's the most normal thing in the world. "They say it's untraditional." Piper rolls her eyes at that, but stops short of anything more insulting as the waiter returns with their wine. Alex reckons the bottle probably costs more than her dress. "Cheers." Piper smiles at the brunette across the table, raising her glass.

"Cheers." Alex reciprocates, clinking their glasses together and tasting the rich, fruity taste of the alcohol. She moans softly as the liquid travels down her throat. It's damn good.

"Do that again." Piper smirks.

"Try not to spill it all down yourself tonight, Pipes." Alex fires back, laughing as Piper opens and closes her mouth, trying to form a comeback.

"Oh, but if I do, will you take my dress off me again?" she eventually replies and Alex shrugs. "So, Alex Vause. Talk to me about this whole art thing you've got going on." Piper enquires, setting her glass down and leaning forward onto her elbows. Alex mirrors her action and clears her throat. It's not every day you get to talk to one of the biggest art importers in the world over a thousand dollar meal in Manhattan, and Alex will be damned if she isn't going to enjoy it.

* * *

The conversation flows comfortably throughout the meal, each woman throwing up a flirtatious comment here and there only to be met with an even raunchier one thrown back in their face. The food is great, no one bothers them, and they simply get lost in each other as they always seem to do. Piper loves it when Alex talks about her art; it's the most beautiful thing to watch someone talk about what they love. Alex, meanwhile, gets most satisfaction seeing Piper's shy, more guarded aura rather than the confident wall she tends to build around herself. They talk about art, literature, music, travelling, television and even sex comes up at one point.

"So, you're gay?" Alex says again, her speech slurred slightly as they've moved onto their second bottle of wine and there was more than an adequate amount of liquor in her coffee.

"Yes, if you couldn't tell by the way I've been looking at you ever since you walked through my door." Piper says. She's not quite so drunk; she's only had about two thirds of a bottle while Alex had the rest.

"Why?" Alex wonders, as if a lesbian is the most confusing, perplexing thing in the world.

"Because, being with a woman is like being with God himself." Piper states, and Alex giggles at that. "No, I don't know really, I just am. Trust me, one day you'll think to yourself, _Wow, I am so fucking glad that Piper Chapman is a lesbian. If there really is a God he surely must be between my legs. Yep, thank you God for being a lesbian." _Alex might be drunk, but she gets what Piper means and blushes, trying to get the image of Piper between her legs out of her mind. Not because she doesn't like it, but because she loves it so damn much she's afraid of what she might do.

"Were you always this humble?" Alex retorts, and Piper just laughs. It might be the alcohol, it _better_ be the alcohol, but Alex is half in love with the blonde by the time they leave. Piper's arm around her waist makes her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and the way she holds her hand across the middle of the car just positively kills Alex. All the little touches, like the flowers she brought her or the way she insists on opening the car door for her just make the brunette fall for Piper that little bit harder. She can't explain why Piper makes her feel like this, and she sure as hell doesn't know how, and in fact Alex doesn't even know what she's feeling. But if she had to guess, that warm, fuzzy feeling she had? That sure as hell felt like love to her. So when Piper walks her up the steps to her door and shuffles her feet nervously, it's Alex who brings her nimble hand up underneath the blonde's chin and tilts her head up. It's Alex who leans in slowly and presses her lips tentatively to the blonde's. It's not like the kiss in the club; it's slow and calculated. Piper wraps her arms around Alex's neck, twisting her fingers in that long, raven hair. Alex's hands wander around Piper's waist and hover slightly above her ass. It's Alex who deepens the kiss, pressing Piper up against the door and tasting the bittersweet tinge of wine on the blonde's tongue. Piper involuntarily moans, because for a straight girl Alex is very talented with her tongue. They continue like this for what felt like hours but was only a few minutes, tasting and probing and teasing each other like they have been for the past two days. It's Piper that pulls away first, but she leaves her hands in Alex's hair as she looks into the taller girl's eyes. She wants to stay so badly; fuck Milan, fuck work, fuck everything else that isn't this incredible woman in front of her. But if she stays, Piper will never leave, so she kisses Alex again before stepping away. Alex smiles at her, because she can see the pain of leaving etched perfectly over the blonde's face.

"Thank you so much for tonight." Alex drawls, even though she thanked the blonde about a million times in the car.

"Don't mention it, kid. I had fun." Piper smiles sadly.

"Me too." The brunette whispers, brushing a strand of hair behind Piper's face.

"Well, goodnight Alex. I'll be home soon, I promise." Piper seems genuinely distraught at the fact she has to leave. She _is_ genuinely distraught. "I..." Alex raises her eyebrows as Piper's eyes drop to the pavement. "I'll miss you, Al." She says, so quietly Alex almost mishears her.

"I'll miss you too, Pipes. Goodnight." And it's true. Alex will miss Piper despite the fact she'd only met her two days ago. It's funny how love works; you think your life's great even though you're not in love, yet once you are in love, everything that doesn't involve the object of your desires seems mundane and boring. Even things like eating lunch won't be the same, simply because Piper won't be there.

"Goodnight, kid." Piper gives Alex one last smile, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. She doesn't want to go, but she does, she turns and walks down the steps like the asshole that she is. Alex opens the door to her apartment and gives Piper a wave before stepping inside and closing the door to the cool night air. Looking back on it, slumped against the door, that's the moment Alex Vause knew she was absolutely, utterly, completely fucked. Because she was head over heels in love with Piper Chapman.

* * *

Piper goes home that night and for the second night in a row, after a six year dry spell, she cries. She cries for what feels like hours. Because she's going to miss that fucking girl so much it breaks her heart. It may only be a few weeks, but Piper's never felt the way she does in Alex's company. Piper's never felt what it feels like to be _in love_ with someone. As she climbs despondently into bed that night, praying for sleep to come to her, she remembers why you shouldn't tell anybody anything; if you do, you start missing everybody.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews :) This is a little more angst-y than the other chapters, but it'll all work itself out nicely.

* * *

Piper considers it. _A lot. _Three times she keys in Alex's number, only to hang up before the call can connect. She types and retypes a text telling the brunette to pack her bags. Eventually, she deletes it. Right up until the moment she steps on the plane at five o'clock in the morning, Piper considers asking Alex to come with her to Milan. She could play it off as needing Alex there as her secretary, but in reality she'd be there to keep the blonde company. But nothing comes of it; Piper boards the plane alone, clad in expensive straight legged black trousers, a white shirt and a fitted black blazer. People recognise her, sure, but when they take note of Piper's stormy expression they move along fairly quickly. Slumping into the leather recliner provided for all the first class flyers (she's the only one on this particular flight), Piper closes her eyes and tries to focus on what the trip ahead is going to contain, rather than what's missing. There's a lot of work to be done, deals to be wrapped up and little time to relax, but Piper makes a mental note to find time for herself. To say it's been a stressful forty-eight hours is an understatement to say the least. Inevitably her thoughts drift back to the tall brunette, a common occurrence of the past two days. She wonders how Alex will get on at work without her; Piper had told her last night at dinner to just take calls, arrange meetings and fill Piper in whenever she calls. It's more of an excuse for the blonde to call Alex, but she'll try to convince herself that she really does need to be updated on calls to her office. Piper feels a strange sense of guilt for jetting off to Milan after coming onto Alex so strongly; she certainly should've waited until she got back, but the attraction between the two was so palpable that it had already manifested into this uncontrollable rollercoaster of a relationship that neither of them could control. Not to say that the pair were in a conventional relationship per se (Alex certainly was not Piper's girlfriend), but it was glaringly obvious that they'd skipped past the point of colleagues or even friends. Kicking off her heels, Piper curls up in the seat and waits for sleep to overcome her, knowing she's going to need all the rest she can get to survive these few weeks without Alex.

* * *

At first, Alex gets by without Piper. She misses her, sure, but they talk constantly on the phone, Facetime or Skype, and it's good for Alex to take a little break from being consumed by the enigma that is Piper Chapman. It allows her time to work on her paintings, and she even sells a few pieces to people that respond to flyers she posts around her neighbourhood. It's nothing major, but at least she's getting her name out there and a few dollars to line her pockets with. Her first and foremost job as a secretary is more enjoyable that she'd thought it would be; she's kept busy with calls and inquiries, but Alex finds it weirdly invigorating to schedule meetings for Piper when she gets back. Her co-workers are incredibly kind, but they regard her with a strange sense of wariness which Alex assumes is due to her boss.

"What's it like working up there in the lair of the cold-hearted bitch?" One girl, whose name Alex can't remember asks her one day. Alex raises her eyebrows incredulously at the tiny, angry looking girl with incredibly long brown hair.

"What? Who?!" Alex cries disbelievingly. Sure, the blonde had a temper on her, but Piper was far from cold-hearted, right?

"You know who I mean. Has she slapped you yet? I heard she slapped her last secretary... and then fucked her, of course. Fuckin' heathen." The small girl seems to vibrate with rage when she speaks about Piper.

"No, she hasn't slapped me." Alex states, glaring down from her full height at the girl. "And I suggest you keep your thoughts on Miss Chapman to yourself... wouldn't want her to hear that one of her employees thinks ill of her." The taller girl sneers, feeling her temper rising as the other girl continues to disrespect their boss.

"She's a disgrace, don't even know why I still work in this god-forsaken place. She'll get what's comin' to her eventually though; the Lord always delivers!" The girl cries, who Alex now remembers is called Tiffany. Rolling her eyes, Alex shifts her glasses onto her head as she often does when she's in a temper and steps forward towards her.

"You listen to me, you fucking hillbilly. You will shut the fuck up about her, and get over your shit, or else I'll see to it that your ass is firmly out on the street, with a personal recommendation from Piper to all your potential employers about what a joy you are to work with. You got that, bitch?" Alex seethes, and by now their altercation has gathered a small crowd. Tiffany quivers with fear as she averts her eyes from Alex's furious gaze. The taller girl slams down the files she was delivering to the front office and strides quickly away from the scene, heels clicking loudly on the marble floor. Alex hears a few of the men in the building wolf whistle after her retreating form, but she's so fucking _angry_ that if she turned back now she'd end up punching a few of them in the jaw. Alex doesn't know why she got so mad at the girl, but she felt a strange need to protect Piper kick in when Tiffany was insulting her, causing Alex to lash out like that. She knows it will bring complications; most of her co-workers will now think that Piper's fucking her, which is not the case. "_Unfortunately..."_ Alex's mind adds of its own accord. In her temper, the brunette had glazed over one comment from Tiffany. "_I heard she slapped her last secretary... and then fucked her, of course." _The first part of the sentence Alex ignores, because it's obviously bullshit, but the second one sticks with her intently, gnawing at her brain until Alex finally addresses it. That comment, Alex can believe. But it's the manner in which she said it, as if Piper fucked anything and everything, that really gets to Alex. At first, she thinks it annoys her because the other girl was basically calling Piper a whore, a claim which Alex refutes one hundred percent. Eventually, Alex realises it annoys her because it could be true; Piper is flirtatious to say the least, and Alex had found herself wondering more than once if she was to be nothing more than a notch on the blonde's bedpost. But then Alex remembers the nervous way Piper acted the night before, how she'd agreed to take it slow with her and actually bothered to wine and dine her instead of insisting on having her way with Alex. The brunette relaxes then, confident that she's more than a simple conquest for her boss. She's been through this before. Now, there's only the small matter of if she's not a conquest to Piper, then what the _hell_ is she?

* * *

By the time Piper's second week in Milan is coming to a close, Alex is not finding it so easy. Outside of work everything's good; she continues to sell pieces here and there, she goes out with Nicky often and on that side of things, it's looking up for Alex Vause. But inside the walls of her workplace, and her relationship with Piper, things are not so easy. For a start, the fact that Piper still hasn't returned means Alex is struggling to arrange meetings around her timetable (the blonde had no idea when she'd be home). Furthermore, after managing to convince her surprised co-workers that she was in fact not sleeping with their boss, she was now the object of most men's fancy. One in particular, who introduced himself as the managing director of the company, seems to have really taken a liking to Alex.

"So, Alex Vause. What do I need to know about you?" He asks her one day from across the office floor. Alex raises her head, surprised and slightly irritated by her interruption. She's trying really hard to sort out the insurmountable load of _shit _Piper left behind, but it's proving difficult. Added to the fact that Piper hasn't called or answered the phone in two days, Alex feels entitled to be a little pissed off.

"John, I'd love to chat but I've got a hell of a lot of work to do." Alex explains, offering him an apologetic smile. He shrugs his broad shoulders and smiles back at her, showing off a gleaming white set of teeth. He's handsome to say the least, but Alex has enough on her plate without adding a crush on a co-worker into the equation. Unless that co-worker is sexy, blonde and in Milan right now, that is.

"Well, you don't have to tell me right now." He grins, shuffling his feet shyly. "How about over drinks?" He asks suddenly. Alex nearly has an aneurism. Why the fuck can't she just have a normal, quiet working life without everyone trying to take her out?! However, the opportunity to get away from her hectic lifestyle is mildly attractive.

"I'll think about it, okay?" Alex offers. John smiles triumphantly and writes his number on a post-it note before handing it to her and walking back into his office. The brunette sighs, putting her head in her hands and deciding she needs to get away from the office for a bit. Grabbing her coat, Alex decides to head to a little cafe opposite the building for lunch and to clear her mind from all the work related shit that seems to be suffocating her. Walking briskly towards the cafe, Alex is reminded of just how much she misses Piper; she remembers their lunch on her first day that feels like a lifetime ago, and feels an incredible sense of longing as she trudges into the dimly lit eatery. She misses the blonde's charming if at times infuriating smile, her velvety smooth voice, the feel of her skin against Alex's, all of it. Alex wonders how she ever found solace in her days before Piper, because now that she's without her she feels as if she's drowning. Amongst her yearning for the older woman however, Alex also can't shake the feeling of anger she harbours. Piper flirted with her, danced with her, kissed her, wined and dined her, then fucked off to Milan without her. Now, she hasn't spoken to Alex for two days and the brunette feels she has a right to be upset. A simple text explaining what the hell was going on would have sufficed, but the last words she'd heard from the blonde had been a tired "I miss you, Al, goodnight." on the phone almost forty eight hours ago. Piper had told her the trip was going well, but it was demanding to say the least and it was evident the blonde wasn't sleeping much. On Facetime, Alex could see dark circles under Piper's eyes and her voice lacked its usual gentle tone, instead coming out raspier than usual. It upset Alex to see how much stress the blonde was under, but there was little she could do apart from try and steady the ship at her end. But they were on a two person boat, and when one end stops communicating, it becomes a hell of a lot harder to keep afloat. So, right now, Alex was both missing Piper like hell, but also resenting her for leaving and ignoring her calls. Sighing despondently, the brunette picked up a copy of the New York Times and sipped her water while she waited for her food to arrive. She flicked through the paper nonchalantly, glancing at the main headlines and pictures on one page before turning to the next. Nothing jumped out at her; recently everything seemed to be horribly normal and commonplace compared to the forty eight hours she'd spent with Piper. Her food arrived, piping hot and exactly the comfort she needed. Closing the paper only a few pages in, Alex started gratefully into her pizza, savouring the taste of pepperoni on her lips . It wasn't quite chicken on ciabatta bread, but it was close. It wasn't healthy or a light lunch or any of that bullshit, but it's exactly the kind of comfort food she craved.

* * *

Alex finished her pizza fairly quickly, choosing to ignore all the scheduling she could be doing on her phone and instead choosing to people-watch. She watched thousands upon thousands of people cross the busy street, some laughing, a few crying but most with their lips drawn in a straight line, oblivious to the turmoil raging inside the brunette in the cafe. She ordered a coffee when she was finished, and when it arrived Alex turned her attention back to the paper. She opened it to the next page after the one she'd finished on, and peered at the headline.

"_**Newly crowned richest woman in New York lets her hair down at exclusive night club in Milan"**_

Oh no. No, no, no. Alex's heart was racing and she already knew what she was going to see when she looked at the picture below the headline. There she was, in all her glory. Piper _fucking_ Chapman, arms raised high above her head and that maddening smirk on her face, eyes closed as she lost herself in whatever music was playing in the club. Beside her, was a shorter black-haired woman dancing inappropriately closely to the girl who'd brought her on a date only two weeks ago, and only two days ago had told her in a painfully tired voice how much she missed her. The girl who'd occupied her thoughts for a whole fourteen days, and the girl who couldn't even be bothered to text Alex because clearly she was having far too much fun without her. Anger coursing through her veins with a vehemence that would scare a US Navy Marine, Alex managed to look away from how well Piper's navy dress showed off her ass, and moved her eyes downward to the article.

"_New York's resident 'businesswoman by day, party animal by night' was up to her old tricks again last night, as she took to the streets of Milan to celebrate her newest acquisition in the world of business. According to a source, Piper Chapman had been in Italy to consolidate a business deal that would take her yearly profits to incredible heights. After a series of evenings where she's been spotted out for dinner with some of the biggest names in the art world, last night it was relayed to us that the contract has been signed, and although the exact figures are unknown, it seems as though Miss Chapman has struck big to say the least. "She's relieved to say the least," a source close to the CEO confirmed. "For a while it looked like it might not happen, but finally she got through to the buyer and now she's able to relax." Judging by the photos, it seems like the blonde is still as single as she was when she arrived on the scene four years ago. "Piper's not really a relationship type, she likes having fun. Nothing more." Our source explains. So, with no one back at home in New York, who knows? Maybe Piper Chapman may just find an Italian beauty of her own-" _

At that line, Alex had snapped the paper closed, slammed her fist on the table, thrown thirty dollars on the table and stormed out, slamming the door behind her so hard it caused people from the other side of the street to look over in surprise. She wasn't even emotionally upset, no, Alex Vause was fucking _livid._ Because, actually, Piper Chapman did have someone in New York who she apparently happened to miss. Also, because fucking Piper Chapman had left that someone in New York to clean up the mess she'd left behind and then chosen to go partying instead of coming home. And finally, because motherfucking Piper Chapman couldn't even be bothered to text that someone to let her know where she was or what was going on, instead she went to a club and grinded up against a few girls for the whole world to see. Alex guessed the 'source' from the paper was one of the many girls Piper had probably fucked during her 'strictly business, no pleasure' stay as she'd described it over their one and a half thousand dollar meal two weeks previously. Taking the steps back to work two at a time, Alex didn't even bother to fight her temper. She had never been felt so angry, used and naive in her life. She barked out a sarcastic laugh, ignoring the odd look she got from Morello at the desk; Alex had actually managed to convince herself that she'd meant something to Piper. She'd stupidly believed her lies about never taking anyone on dates, and mostly she'd believed her when Piper said she missed her. Yeah, missed her so much that she couldn't even text Alex back because she was too busy grinding up against strangers in clubs. Boy, did Alex wish she missed Piper that much too. Storming out of the elevator, Alex was about to go over to her desk and call Piper to give her a piece of her mind, but changed her direction at the last minute. Reigning her temper in, Alex fixed her hair and readjusted her glasses before knocking on the door and opening it. Taking a deep breath, she smiled as convincingly as she could to the man behind the desk.

"John." Alex drawled. "How about those drinks?"

* * *

It was almost twelve o'clock in the morning before the pilot announced the plane's descent into New York. Groaning heavily, Piper stretched her back muscles and shook her head to try and clear her sleep-deprived mind. The blonde raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow as her friend in the seat opposite her placed a newspaper down on the table and pushed it towards her. Robert offered nothing in response apart from pointing at a particular headline on the page. Piper narrowed her eyes sceptically before following his finger downwards to the newspaper. She was met with a headline she's pretty sure someone has ran before, but she'd been seen in the same position so many times the blonde wondered why they even bothered to report on it anymore.

"_**Newly crowned richest woman in New York lets her hair down at exclusive night club in Milan" **_Piper rolled her eyes at the unoriginal text and looked at the photo. She sighed internally when she saw it, remembering all too clearly what had happened straight after it. Piper had been having fun, celebrating with a few of her artsy friends after pulling off a very profitable deal. But her night had been cut short by the appearance of one too many girls attempting to dance much too close to her, unaware that she was otherwise engaged with a tall brunette back home. Piper tried to ignore them, but they were persistent to say the least, so naturally Piper had started a drunken rant about her "gorgeous, sexy, girlfriend" who looked like she was a "sultry librarian straight out of a lesbian porno" (Piper had covered her face in shame when her friends told her that one the morning after). Piper had been gently encouraged to leave the club afterwards by her friends before she did something that the paparazzi would really love. The blonde was grateful that no one involved in the media had heard her story about her "girlfriend" (where the hell did _that_ one come from?), but she was still angry at how it had been taken out of context. It was unlikely that Alex would see the photos, but Piper was still eager to explain to the brunette about what happened. Her phone, however, had other ideas. Two and a half days ago, Piper had conveniently lost her charger (when she was drunk apparently she'd flung it over the side of the balcony into the bustling streets of Milan below her), and her phone had been dead ever since. In the airport, Piper had finally found a portable charger which she'd used during the flight, intending to call Alex the moment she got off the plane. While she didn't stick exactly true to that, when the blonde picked up her luggage and slumped into the back of the car waiting to take her to the airport, she finally turned her phone on. It took a few minutes, but eventually all her texts and missed calls came through. She read through texts from Polly, a few unknown numbers, some clients and co-workers, before finally coming to the conversation with Alex. Twenty-seven fucking text messages. Holy shit, was Piper in trouble to say the least. The first ones were simple, informing Piper of upcoming meetings or calls to her office that Alex had taken. The one exactly thrity two hours ago must have been before Alex was going to sleep, because it simply read "_I guess you're busy, no worries Pipes. Don't get too stressed. I miss you. X" _Piper felt an unnerving sense of guilt settling comfortably into her gut that she knew she was going to be feeling for quite some time. The next ten or so were slightly more agitated, including three or four that simply read "_Piper?"_ or _"Call me."_ The twentieth one from when Alex was about to go to sleep last night. "_Piper,"_ it read. "_Where the hell are you? We really need to talk!"_ Piper winced before moving onto the final three. The first was from when it was morning in New York, which read "_What the fuck?! Can you stop ignoring me?!" _The second simply said, "_Are you fucking kidding me? Answer your damn phone, Piper! I'm snowed under here trying to clean up your metaphorical shit!" _But it was the third one from a few hours ago that ripped Piper's heart from her chest and threw it on the sidewalk speeding by outside her window. "_Just read the most wonderful article in the times, Pipes!"_ it said, and Piper could hear the sarcasm and anger as if Alex was sitting in front of her saying it. "_Here's a link, although I'm sure you're well aware of what was happening! Is this your special way of saying? Hey, Alex! Look how much I miss you kid! Cause if it is, then well fucking done Piper. Congratulations, I can see how much you're hurting. It must be so awful and difficult for you out there. I'll see you when you come home, babe, if you ever actually do, not that I would know because you just fucking ignore me now. Oh yeah, one last thing... FUCK YOU!" _

Piper re-reads it a couple of times, a cold sweat running down her spine and a feeling of dread coursing through her veins. Eventually she leans her head back against the cool leather of the seat, willing her heart rate to slow down so she could think. It was about half twelve in New York, and it was clear that a simple phone call was not going to be enough for Alex to forgive her. Would anything be enough for Alex to forgive her? The blonde was too afraid to check her voicemails and missed calls, so she clears her throat and wipes at her eyes angrily before leaning over to her driver and giving him a slight change in direction. Piper was all in now, whether she liked it or not.

* * *

Alex stumbled around the corner to her apartment, buzzed off the amount of alcohol she'd consumed. Her red heels clicked against the pavement, piercing the silence that was odd for New York. It was about three am on a bitterly cold Wednesday night however, so perhaps that was the reason for the eerie quietness of the dimly lit street. Her night with John had been good, up until the point he'd tried to kiss her, at which Alex had recoiled and apologised profusely, drunkenly mumbling something about "a fucking Italian bitch" before stepping out onto the street and hailing a cab. Alex was, however, grateful at how it had taken her mind away from Piper. Even now, in her intoxicated state, the mention of her name sent a shock-wave of emotion through the brunette. Love, hatred, anger, longing, contempt, fear and lust all shot through her as she stumbled up the steps to her apartment and fumbled with her keys in the dark. The poor lighting on her porch meant that Alex very nearly tripped over the small package on her doorstep. Confused, Alex crouched down and eventually the light overhead brightened enough so that she could make out a small box, an envelope and a handful of red roses all tied together with a small blue ribbon. Still fairly drunk, but also not wanting to explain any of this to Nicky, Alex sat down with her legs straight in front of her and her back against the door as she slid the parcel onto her lap. Untying the bow and setting it down alongside her with the roses, Alex turned to the square box. It was navy with a gold trim around the sides, made from metal. She fought with it momentarily before getting the lid off, squinting her eyes as she tried to make out what was inside. Eventually her eyes adjusted enough to make out something silver, with a gold trim much like the box. The object was encased in a cocoon of blue velvet and Alex gently prised it out with her fingers. Alex gasped audibly into the pasty lighting of the porch as the weight of the watch surprised her. It had a leather, tan strap that was thin but looped around twice, and a silver face adorned with gold detailing and numbers. A tiny charm hung off the side made from the same silver as the face, and the face sparkled back at her despite the gloomy lighting. It was without a doubt the most beautiful (and most expensive) gift Alex had ever received, and she knew exactly who it was from before she even opened the envelope. She knew she was supposed to be angry, and she shouldn't even listen to what Piper had to say, but she was persuasive even when she wasn't around. Shaking, her drunkenness wearing off very quickly, Alex opened the letter. It was written in a plain script she recognised as Piper's, but it was simply written on a blank white sheet. Alex had half expected it to be written on a scroll or something. Taking a deep breath, the brunette began to read.

"My dearest Alex,

What are the chances you're even reading this? Probably second to none, and I don't blame you. But I'm sitting outside your apartment, and you're not here, so I have little else to do. Firstly, let me say that I swear to you, this is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. This isn't some bullshit from a source or something I'm writing to convince you to come back to me, because somehow I don't think you're the type who likes bullshit. Alex Vause, I am so fucking sorry for not returning your calls. I am so fucking sorry for not returning your texts. I am so fucking sorry that you had to see that article in the Times. I am really sorry for all of it. I'm sorry I left to Milan so suddenly and I spent every minute I was there wishing that I'd stayed or invited you. I swear, Al, if you ever let me talk to you again I will never do that to you again. That girl, in those photos, she ran out of that nightclub in tears; I threatened to break her jaw if she touched me again because I had a, and I quote, "gorgeous, sexy, girlfriend who looked like she was a sultry librarian straight out of a lesbian porno". No prises for guessing who I was talking about, kid. I know that you probably can't think of anything worse than me being your girlfriend, but it was easier than calling you my secretary who I think I might have accidentally fallen for over a period of just forty-eight hours. You can ask anyone who was with me at the club, I really did say that as embarrassing as it sounds. As for my phone, that story is even more embarrassing, but long story short my charger is probably halfway across Italy by now, and no one in the hotel was willing to lend me one because I'd acted like a total moody bitch during my whole stay there. Look, Alex, what I'm trying to say is... I really fucking missed you, kid, that photo was taken out of context and while I was having a good time at the split second that it was taken, I spent all the time before and after it going batshit crazy because I couldn't see you do that cute thing with your glasses or fall asleep in your arms. God, this is turning out to be so soppy and I'm crying on your doorstep at half past two in the morning. Wouldn't the paps just love to get a hold of this one? I need to go soon, because I haven't been home yet and my driver is getting impatient because I've just been sitting here for two hours waiting for you. I don't know where you are and Nicky isn't home, but I know I have no right to ask. I have no right to ask you anything, except please, Al, if you do nothing else, come into work tomorrow so I can speak to you. I'm sorry for all of it, and I wish I could do it all over again, I really do. It's getting pretty cold and I'm falling asleep, so I'm just going to head home. Goodnight, kid. I miss you so fucking much, more than you'll probably ever know.

Pipes.x"

Alex sits on the porch and sobs for what could've been hours. She doesn't care. She's acted like an asshole, again, let her temper get the better of her and gone out for drinks with that stupid fucking guy. She's possibly ruined everything by doing that; her job, her life, her chance at anything like a normal relationship with Piper. Alex just cries and cries, until eventually Nicky (who must've only returned home minutes after Piper left), pulls the door open and nearly jumps out of her skin at the sobbing form of her best friend. She almost makes a comment, but judging by the tear-soaked letter in Alex's hand, the expensive looking watch and the bunch of roses beside her, Nicky silently pulls the brunette to her feet and helps her get into bed without a word. Her tears don't stop until long after Nicky's fallen asleep in the next room, and Alex falls into a restless slumber, clutching the letter to her chest as if attempting to stop blood flowing from a wound, filled with nightmare after nightmare of Piper turning her away when she finds out about her date with John. She's fucked Piper over despite being the only person the blonde has ever trusted, and when Alex wakes up that morning, doused in sweat from her dreams despite the cold temperature outside, she makes a determined vow that she'll do anything to fix this, even if it means declaring her unyielding love for Piper in the middle of that damn office. Alex doesn't care if Piper slaps her or fucks her against the door; the only thing that matters is that the blonde knows Alex is unconditionally and irrevocably in love with her.

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A/N: Leave a review if you feel so inclined. Let me know what you want to happen next!x


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Shorter (but quicker) update this time which I'll explain in another A/N at the bottom. Almost one hundred reviews already! I can't thank you enough, honestly. I love you all.

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"Holy fuckin' shit, Vause, I mean...I know you're a bit of a fuck up, but this is a fuck up of _epic_ proportions, even for you." Nicky shook her head disbelievingly as Alex slumped impossibly further down into her chair. The shorter woman's voice was devoid of its usual teasing manner, and instead she spoke with a tone of incredulity. Alex had told her the general story of what had reduced her to tears on the front porch last night, and Nicky had remained uncharacteristically silent throughout the tale, signifying just how badly Alex had fucked up.

"Do you believe her?" Alex spoke quietly, picking at the wooden kitchen table with her thumbnail. She'd only slept about five hours; she was tired, hungover, upset, and still confused.

"She sure as hell sounds truthful to me. Alex, for god sake, she sat outside in the freezing cold for over two hours just waiting for you. And I know she did, because I was in here the whole damn time." Alex's head snapped up at that and she stood up abruptly.

"You were what?!" She yelled at Nicky. "Why the _fuck_ did you not open the fucking door? Or text me or...anything? For fuck sake!" Alex was pacing now, one hand on her forehead.

"Because the last thing I need is any more involvement in dyke drama, Vause. Plus, she was a bit of an asshole to me that night at the club." Nicky added with a grin, as if that justified leaving Piper out on the doorstep all night. "Besides, I figured she'd left after about half an hour, but my guess is that she went to get paper to write on. I was asleep before she came back." Alex sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose; she literally didn't have the energy to be pissed off at Nicky right now.

"What about the phone thing, I mean am I supposed to buy that? Okay, there was no point in her buying a new phone a day or two before she left but an email would have sufficed?" Alex splayed her hands in front of her, a helpless expression on her face. Nicky traced the rim of her mug thoughtfully for a moment before answering.

"Look, Vause." Nicky began. "There's no point asking me about all this. Get your ass into work and go talk to Piper." Alex nodded vehemently at her bushy-haired friend.

"I know, fuck. I know. What time is it?" Alex was still in the towel that she'd covered herself in after her shower.

"Half eight." Nicky replied, getting up to put her mug in the sink.

"Very funny, Nichols! What time is it actually?" Alex ran a hand through her hair; if it was actually half eight the brunette had half an hour to get changed, do her hair and makeup and actually get to work.

"It's half past fucking eight. What, is father time gonna have to write you an apology letter and sit out on the porch tonight? Because I refuse to be woken up again" Nicky stopped abruptly when she heard Alex let out a stream of expletives and practically run into her bedroom before she realised that Alex was due to be in her work for nine. Nicky chuckled quietly, shaking her head. Oh, boy, if Alex was in trouble with Piper before she was sure as hell in for it now. Dyke drama, gotta love it.

* * *

"Chapman, you're back." Piper was pulled from her thoughts by the voice of her managing director.

"Fantastic observation, John." Piper clapped sarcastically as the man chuckled and walked further into her office.

"I missed you too!" He laughed, and Piper couldn't help but grin along with him. John was one of the good guys; he helped the blonde a lot when she first started up and he'd been loyal to her ever since. "I heard about the incident at the club." Piper raised her head from her phone at that.

"Now, John, did you hear the version in the Times or the truth?" She questioned, leaning back further in her chair and putting her feet up on the desk, crossing her legs. John nodded understandingly.

"Well, first I heard the version in the Times from a very...disgruntled reader, but just this morning I ran in to Robert who told me about the whole girlfriend speech." Piper sighed and closed her eyes. She was embarrassed, but at least he knew the full story despite how humiliating it may be. "Who's the lucky girl?" He asked suddenly, and Piper opened one eye questioningly, raising her eyebrow.

"No one you know." She replied, closing her eyes again.

"You sure about that?" John pressed, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow of his own. "Because your description of her sounded _very_ familiar, boss." Piper opened both her eyes now, focusing intently on the man in front of her.

"What's your point, John? Are you jealous?" it came out more venomously than intended, but Piper was growing tired of his game.

"Me, jealous of you? Oh, Piper, while I may be jealous of most of your things, your choice in women is not one of them. In fact, I'm here to warn you." He shrugged, and Piper glared at him silently, encouraging him to continue. "You're being played, boss." Piper rolled her eyes and stood up, walking around to the front of her desk.

"I suggest you get to the fucking point and forget all these riddles, or get the fuck out." Piper narrowed her eyes and John raised his hands apologetically.

"I'm not looking for a fight. You can have her." He explained.

"Who! Who can I have?" Piper snapped, her temper rising.

"Vause! Your 'girlfriend'!" He made air quotes around the word girlfriend and Piper fell deathly silent. "She asked me out for drinks last night, and you know what she spent the whole time talking about? You, for fuck sake. Piper this, Piper that, even when she was sober!" Piper failed to hear him after he said _"She asked me out for drinks."_

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Piper whispered, more to herself than anyone. John continued as if she hadn't even spoken.

"When she was drunk though, it was even worse. She kept talking about how sad and lonely she was that you'd left her or something, I think she only used me as a rebound after that article in the Times. I don't even know, Jesus, she was so smashed. It was the worst date I've ever been on, but she's so hot right? I mean, that figure... So in the end I ended up kissing her, but-" He was cut off by the blonde.

"John, if you still want to have a job in the next five minutes, I suggest you get the fuck out of my office and never speak to me about Alex Vause ever again." Piper wasn't even shouting, but her voice was low and deathly quiet, her eyes as cold as ice.

"What, but-"

"Get the fuck out!" Piper sure as hell was yelling now, and John simply shook his head angrily before turning on his heel and walking out without closing the door. Piper was absolutely furious, and she slammed the door after him so hard she was sure the whole building could hear it. "Fucking hell!" Piper screamed, knocking over the glass of water on her desk and barely registering the piercing sound of it shattering on the hardwood floor. She couldn't believe it; Alex had not only agreed to go out on a date only two weeks after Piper had fell asleep in her arms after crying to her for hours, but she'd fucking _asked him_ out rather than saying yes. All because of some tabloid bullshit! Alex hadn't even known if it was true, which it wasn't. Piper felt betrayed, cheated, abandoned, but mostly she was fucking furious. "_Where the hell is she?" _ the blonde looked at the clock on the right hand wall and noticed Alex was already ten minutes late. Piper laughed darkly, the girl probably didn't even have the balls to come into work. Yes, Alex had went on the date and talked about Piper the whole night. But that didn't excuse the fact that she'd still went on the date and fucking _kissed _him?! The blonde looked out over the large window at the back of her office as she often did when she was upset. The hurt and sadness would inevitably come later, however, because right now Piper simply vibrated with rage. It was raining, pouring in fact, and the sky was a menacing, uninviting grey colour. Despite the fact that her cream blazer, beige top, black skirt and tall heels wouldn't protect her much against the elements, Piper felt a strange urge to go for a long walk anyway. But she didn't; she remained still, arms folded and angrily glaring out the window considering her feelings.

A knock at the door and the sound of heels on hardwood floors disturbed her only minutes later. Piper didn't move a muscle apart from smirking darkly to herself. _"And so it begins."_ The footsteps stopped abruptly, and Piper guessed Alex hadn't moved past her desk.

"Piper." Alex said quietly. Piper said nothing in return, wondering if Alex would choose to tell her straight away about her little date. "You're back..." she continued, and the blonde simply continued to gaze out the window, hoping Alex couldn't see the smirk on her face. Piper wasn't happy, but she sure as hell wasn't going to let the hurt show. "I...I got your letter, and the flowers and the-"

"You're late." Piper interrupted her suddenly, her voice level and emotionless. She could hear Alex's shocked intake of breath from across the room, and could imagine the blush on her face.

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't get much sleep, and I slept in." Piper rolled her eyes at the excuse.

"You didn't get much sleep but you slept in?" Piper's voice was laced with sarcasm. "Oh, that's okay. It's not like you spent your evening on a long haul flight followed _immediately _by sitting outside for two hours in the middle of the night in sub zero temperatures. I'm sure you had something much more tiring." Piper made no attempt to hide the bitterness in her tone. She still hadn't looked at Alex, fearing that if she saw the hurt expression on the girl's face she would crumble. "So are you going to tell me where you were, or do you want to know what I heard?"

"Jesus, Piper, can you at least fucking look at me! I'm sorry for being late!" Alex was yelling now. "I was out having a few drinks, actually, no. I was out having a hell of a lot of drinks because for the last forty eight hours I had been trying to run this damn place on my own!" Piper had to bite her tongue to stop herself from informing Alex about how she'd be absolutely incapable of doing that. "So, yes, I was feeling pretty stressed out, and I was fucking pissed!" Alex continued to yell. "Look at me, Piper!" Piper turned on her heel and rolled her eyes, spreading her arms in front of her.

"Happy?" She snarled.

"Of course I'm not fucking happy!" Alex's voice was almost breaking but she managed to hold it together. "Look, I'm sorry that I believed that article. I was pissed at you for not calling, I was stressed, and that sent me over the edge. I'm sorry." The brunette's voice was quieter now that Piper was looking at her. The blonde was still angry; Alex hadn't admitted to going out with John yet.

"Where were you?" Piper demanded in the same emotionless tone she'd used when Alex first walked in.

"I already told you, I was out." Alex lied, averting her eyes from Piper. The older woman scoffed before raising her voice again.

"With who?! Who were you with, Alex!" Alex felt her stomach drop. She knew that Piper had found out where she was.

"With friends..." Alex tried once more, but it didn't even sound convincing to herself.

"Don't fucking lie to me!" Piper snapped, her temper finally breaking; she'd had enough of the bullshit now.

"Okay! Okay, I was with John! I'm fucking sorry, Pipes." Alex cringed as soon as the nickname involuntarily slipped from her mouth.

"Don't you dare. Don't you fucking call me that." The blonde whispered, closing her eyes.

"I spent the whole night talking about you anyway! I thought you were ignoring me and going out with all these other girls and I wasn't thinking. I wanted to make you feel as shitty as I did. Clearly, I just made myself feel worse." Alex's head was thumping and she was on the verge of tears. She's fucked up, she knew how bad it looked and she was pretty sure Piper was going to either fire her or slap her. Or both.

"Why?!" Piper yelled.

"I just told you." Alex cried exasperatingly.

"Why did you kiss him?!" Piper finally asked the question that had been on her mind during the whole conversation. "I mean, Jesus, going on a date with him hurt me enough, you didn't have to do that! What, do you like him? Because if you do, by all means, tell me to-" Alex laughed suddenly, cutting Piper off. "What the fuck is so funny about this?!" Piper roared, striding over to give Alex a piece of her mind. The two were chest to chest by the time Alex had stopped laughing enough to reply.

"Holy fucking shit, are you kidding me? Did he tell you that?" Alex shook her head disbelievingly. "What an asshole..." She trailed off.

"Get to the _fucking _point." Piper spat.

"Of course I don't like him! He kissed _me_, Piper. It's you I want; of course I don't want him!" Alex pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose and scoffed. "You know what? This is so fucking stupid! Why do you even care?!" Alex shook her head again and looked down at the ground. "You are not mine, and I am not yours, so how about we just forget about this. I'm just gonna..." Alex trailed off and Piper viewed her with an unreadable expression. Alex eventually turned away from the blonde and walked back towards the door. Before she could, however, Piper grabbed her roughly by the wrist before pulling her backwards and stepping in front of the taller girl.

"You see, sweetheart..." Piper spoke while walking over to the door, a confident sway to her hips. "That's where you're wrong." The blonde explained, her statement punctuated by the audible _click_ of the door locking. Alex swallowed hard, eyes wide and heart thumping. _"This is it." _She thought. "_She's going to kill me." _ "Because, Alex..." Piper still had that look in her eyes, but there was an infuriating grin now on her face. The blonde walked back to Alex, standing tall and pushing her chest out to try and look Alex in the eyes as much as she could. "Despite the terrible mistake you made last night..." Piper began to trail her fingers from Alex's neck down to the buttons of her shirt. Alex could hardly get a breath into her and she tried to figure out what the hell was going on. "I'm going to forgive you." Piper whispered, smoothing her hand over the base of Alex's throat before looking up at her through her lashes. "Only for one reason though, Miss Vause." Alex managed to raise an eyebrow as Piper's smirk widened and her eyes darkened. "Because you are fucking mine_. _Nobody else's._ Mine_." She whispers huskily before pulling Alex impossibly closer by the lapels of her blazer and crashing their lips together. _"This is a really interesting way to kill me.."_ is all Alex has time to think before her mind shuts down and instinct takes over, her fingers involuntarily tangling in Piper's wavy hair. The blonde smiled into the kiss before deepening it, running her hands over Alex's stomach and tracing her smooth bottom lip with her tongue. The brunette moans quietly, and what else can she do but grant Piper's tongue entrance. The blonde's hands moved around Alex's waist before confidently moving to her ass, squeezing roughly. Piper takes the lead in the kiss; Alex tastes like mint, coffee, and something else Piper can't quite place. The taller woman grows in confidence, however, her hands moving to the side of Piper's body before massaging her breasts roughly over her shirt. It's the blonde's turn to moan, and she does so as she moves her lips to the taller woman's jaw. Trailing kisses from Alex's jaw to her neck as the brunette continues her ministrations on her chest, Piper bites down particularly hard on the other girls' neck before softly caressing the mark with her tongue. Things are beginning to heat up as their lips meet again, tongues roughly massaging each other before a knock on the door startles them. Piper groans quietly before pulling away sheepishly and going to unlock it. Before she can however, Alex pulls her back by the wrist.

"I don't fucking think so, Miss Chapman." She whispers hotly in her ear. Piper closes her eyes and squeezes her thighs together at the sound of Alex's lust-ridden voice. "That asshole outside that door is going to fuck off, and you are going to push me on top of that fancy desk of yours and fuck me until I can't walk." Alex commands, pulling away and looking into Piper's shell-shocked face. Eventually, after what seems like an eternity, Piper's face breaks out into that trademark crooked smirk and her eyes are hooded with desire.

"With pleasure, sweetheart." Piper breathes, repeating the exact words she'd said that fateful night at the club two weeks ago. This time, however, as the blonde clears her desk, sending papers sprawling across the floor, and hoisting Alex up onto the space created before moulding their lips together again and wrapping the brunette's legs around her waist, neither of them are even thinking about taking it slow.

A/N: Please don't hate me for stopping it here! I'm going on a trip early tomorrow morning and I wanted to update before I go, so I don't have time to write smut! I will next time though, I _promise!_


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry for the longer wait! It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to happen in this one. Thank you ever so much for all your reviews, they mean the world.

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The crunching on glass underfoot is what eventually manages to make Alex tear her lips away from Piper's. The brunette's eyebrows raise as Piper looks down at the ground sheepishly, blushing and scuffing her heels against the shattered tumbler.

"Remember when you said I was the one with the temper?" Alex husks, chuckling when the blonde narrows her eyes at her.

"Do you want me to continue smashing glasses or do you want me to fuck you?" Piper questioned, running a hand from Alex's neck to the flat of her stomach as the brunette grinned at her amusedly from atop the desk. She doesn't answer the blonde, instead simply tugging on her hair slightly and smiling into the kiss. Piper silently thanked a God she didn't really believe in that Alex had chosen to wear a skirt to work today as she ran her right hand up the other girl's smooth thigh and leanned further into the kiss, left hand braced on the other side of Alex. The knocking on the door continued, but Piper decided to drown it out by moving her hand under Alex's shirt, her cold fingers electing a gasp from the taller girl as she involuntarily arched into the blonde's touch. Piper trailed her fingers agonizingly slowly up the other girl's stomach, still kissing her fiercely as Alex pulled at her hair slightly. It wasn't like the last kiss they'd shared that had been slow and tender and almost loving; it was messy and hot and Piper bit Alex's bottom lip slightly, causing her to cry out from both pain and lust. Piper's hand was now resting to the side of the brunette's lace bra and the brunette tried to shift herself into her touch. The blonde was having none of it however, as the kiss broke and she returned her attention to Alex's neck, lazily placing kisses down towards her collarbones. Alex was getting tired of this now, it was supposed to be a hot fuck on top of a desk not a slow, drawn out affair.

"Piper!" Alex growled, one hand covering Piper's that rested on her chest and the other underneath the blonde's chin.

"What's wrong?" she hummed against Alex's neck, grinning smugly.

"You know what." Alex was trying to move Piper's hand on to her breast finally, but she stood firm.

"No I don't? I have no idea what you're talking about." The older woman couldn't help but giggle as Alex's temper rose.

"Hurry up, oh my god, please hurry up, for fuck sake!" The brunette was almost yelling and Piper quickly put a finger to her lips, raising her head from Alex's neck.

"Hurry up and what?" She teased, content that she'd gotten Alex riled up.

"Touch me, Piper, anything, fuck me-" She was cut off by Piper's lips as her hand finally moved over the cup of Alex's bra, roughly groping and kneading the sensitive skin below.

"Remember when you said I was the one with the temper?" Piper whispered against Alex's lips, mocking her words from minutes ago. _I never said that_, Alex wants to say, but she'll let the blonde win this one if it means she continues her ministrations on her chest. "Unbutton your shirt." Piper demands, unable to do it for her because she's otherwise engaged. The brunette's fingers are shaky as she does so, probably because Piper had now roughly pulled down the cups of her bra and was deliciously twisting her nipple between her thumb and forefinger while continuing to kiss her. Alex got to the button above her navel before Piper swatted her hands away, dropping onto one knee to press hot, open mouthed kisses against the newly exposed skin. The blonde looked up at Alex through clouded blue eyes, taking in just how _fucking breathtaking_ the brunette was in that moment. Her right hand was covering the breast that Piper reluctantly had to ignore, teasing and pulling at her own nipple. Alex's was looking down at Piper wickedly, green eyes flashing, pupils dilated yet clearer than usual without the hindrance of glasses. Her dark hair fell messily over her collarbones and her luscious red, bottom lip was caught between her teeth. It was sexy, incredibly so, but terribly innocent at the same time. She was just...beautiful.

Piper reluctantly moved her hand away from Alex's breast as she pushed her shirt wide open and instead trailed her hand up the inside of her thigh. She was so close, tantalisingly so, to where both she and Alex needed her to be. The blonde stood up again, leaning her weight slightly onto Alex's body as she recaptured the brunette's mouth in a sweet kiss, leaving her hand between them to draw small patterns on the inside of Alex's thigh. Piper chuckles huskily when she hears Alex's soft pleas against her lips and the banging of her hand against the table. Suddenly, however, the banging proceeds to get incredibly loud and both women look at each other in surprise. The noise continues to hammer away at their eardrums and it becomes apparent that someone on the outside of the door is _literally_ hammering. It was one thing to ignore a few knocks and hope someone went away, but not even the best sex in the world (which Alex was about to be involved in) could drown out the deafening racket outside. It subsided momentarily, and Piper was about to move her fingers closer to Alex's evidently dripping core before it started again, with even more fervour than the last time.

"For _fuck _sake!" Piper groaned, slamming the heel of her hand down on the table. "I swear to fucking God I am going to kill whoever is on the other side of that door. I will _**shank**_ a bitch!"Alex was quiet, not quite one hundred percent with it at the moment. She was still in sort of trance from Piper's touch as the blonde stormed over to the door, looking as if none of the events of the past half an hour had just transpired. Her shirt wasn't creased, her hair unruffled; hell she'd had her heels and blazer on the whole damn time. Alex busied herself with trying to button up her shirt with even shakier hands than she'd unbuttoned it with.

"Can I _help_ you?" Piper spat while unlocking the door and shoving it open.

"There you are! Were you asleep or something? You look tired, have you been drinking again Piper? You didn't-" Piper couldn't even speak she was so angry. It wasn't even anyone important who'd interrupted her sex with the hottest woman she's ever seen; it was fucking _Polly._

"Fuck off, Polly." Piper interrupted her in a bored voice.

"What? But I just stood out here for thirty minutes banging the door..." Piper zoned out as the fucking irrelevant bitch whined on and on about how they needed to go out because Polly hadn't seen her in weeks.

"Is there a problem here?" Came a sultry voice in Piper's ear. The blonde closed her eyes and smiled involuntarily as Alex provocatively draped herself around her.

"Hmm, no, Polly was just leaving, weren't you Pol?" Piper nuzzled into Alex's neck, making a show of it in front of the other girl. To be fair, Alex had made some sort of an attempt to tidy herself up. Now, her shirt was only half open and her glasses were back on, but it was fairly evident that she was still in a sort of lust-induced phase. Piper was, too, but she was simply better at hiding it.

"That's good to hear." Alex drawled. "See you later, Dolly. Piper has some _very_ important business to attend to." Her voice was low and warm in Piper's ear, the blonde making no attempt to correct her mistake of the other girl's name. Quite frankly, who actually gives a fuck what Polly's name is?

"What?! Fuck you, I'm not going anywhere-" she's cut off by Piper slamming the door in her face, the blonde laughing and turning into Alex's embrace. She wraps her arms tightly around Piper's waist, chuckling in her ear before whispering.

"Now, where were we?"

"I believe you were begging me to fuck you until you couldn't walk or something..." Piper muses, pulling back and raising her eyebrows.

"Or something; sounds about right." Alex quips, dragging Piper back over to the desk. She wasn't begging for it, not yet.

* * *

"How do you do that?" Alex wondered, mystified.

"Do what?" Piper replied nonchalantly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Make me cum three times in a row so hard I see stars, and then stand up like you just played a game of scrabble?" The brunette is currently lying sprawled across the sofa in Piper's office, shirt and bra strewn somewhere behind them along with one of her heels. Piper, meanwhile, hasn't removed a single article of clothing yet she'd followed through on her promise and then some. Her hair was a little messy, but that was because Alex had been pulling it quite aggressively whilst screaming out something that sounded vaguely like Piper's name.

"Trust me, Alex, I don't usually have a small fountain running between my legs when I play scrabble." Piper chuckled darkly and smoothed out the sleeves of her blazer. "I have a meeting now, right?" She raised an eyebrow sceptically. Frankly, Alex could hardly remember her name never mind Piper's schedule.

"I think so..., something like a debrief about Milan..." Alex trailed off, spent from the last forty-five minutes and her lack of sleep last night.

"Well, you can go home at lunch time because I sure as hell will be after this meeting. You deserve it." The blonde mused, handing Alex her shirt and bra.

"What for, my secretary skills or my sexual performance?" Alex smirked sarcastically.

"What performance?!" Piper cried. "You just had to sit back and let me do all the work-"

"You wouldn't let me touch you!" Alex interjected.

"No, I know." Piper laughed. "I knew I had this meeting to go to. Another time, kid." The blonde nodded.

"What're you doing tonight?" Alex asked suddenly, an idea forming. She wasn't sure if it was Piper's thing though.

"Wow, someone's eager." Piper retorted, before adding "Nothing, babe, why?"

"Come over to mine. Nicky wants to meet you." It wasn't really a question from the brunette.

"Am I coming to see Nicky or you?"

"I might be around for a bit." Alex winks. It's like the vicious fight they'd had an hour ago had never happened, and the pair continued as if Piper had not even gone to Milan. Piper agreed to come over around six, and Alex would attempt to cook but they'd end up ordering Chinese food anyway. Surprisingly, Piper seemed quite keen.

"That sounds...incredible, actually." She'd mused, and Alex felt her ego levels raise just slightly. It was all well and good partying, drinking, going to fancy restaurants and fucking in offices, but after the fortnight both had just endured, a night with Chinese and wine and movies and each other sounded blissful indeed.

"I'll see you at six, Piper Chapman. Does this mean I'm forgiven?" The pair hadn't spoken much about the 'fight before the fuck'.

"It depends how nice your local Chinese is." Piper laughed, kissing Alex on the cheek. She was forgiven alright. "See you later, Al."

"Bye, Piper!" Alex called out after the blonde's retreating form, enjoying how the tight skirt she was wearing accented her hips and ass very nicely indeed. The brunette lay on her back for a moment, still slightly stuck to the leather of the sofa. She now considered where she stood with the blonde to be much closer to _girlfriend_ than _friend._ Alex wasn't just fabricating that, however; Piper had said that she was _hers_, right? That sounded awfully exclusive, like a... relationship? It perhaps was a heat of the moment thing; they'd only been on one proper date and in each other's company for a few days after all, it was a little soon to be throwing around the term girlfriend. Shaking her head, Alex picked herself up and redressed, trying unsuccessfully to iron out the creases in her shirt with her hands. It was only half ten; much too early in the morning to be figuring out where she stands with Piper. She'd work until one, go home and explain to Nicky what the situation is. After listening to her friend's opinion, which would go something like "_You've been a lesbian for five fuckin' minutes and you've already got with like the queen of lesbians. Fuck you, Vause!", _Alex would pick out a few movies, get showered, dressed, attempt to cook something and inevitably order Chinese when Piper arrives. It would be simple, right? Walking out of the office to her desk, Alex grinned sarcastically to herself; as if anything between her and the blonde would ever be simple.

* * *

Piper Chapman was swearing for what felt like the hundredth time that day. It was clear that the two days in Milan when she'd all but disappeared had thrown everyone in the company off course.

"I leave you for two fucking days and this is what I'm left with?" Piper stands at the head of the long boardroom table, gesturing angrily to the file in front of her. "It's your fucking _jobs _to sort this shit out, I am not your mother!" The fifteen or so people in front of her look at her sheepishly, well aware of how angry they've made their boss. Piper's been landed with various complaints from well-respected artists and sellers because they were apparently ignored for forty-eight hours whilst she was incommunicado.

"Why did no one step the fuck up?!" Piper slams her hand down on the oak table and most of her staff jump. "Jesus Christ, all you had to do was give them a whole spiel about the great work we do here and our prices and all the basic shit I told you when your first started here." The blonde is ranting now, pacing back and forth along the top of the room. "Do you have any idea how much money we've lost because of this?" It's not that she needs the money, it's just the principle of the whole thing. "How about I take our losses out of your next paychecks?" She spat, pausing to lean on the table with both of her hands. "If this ever happens again, you're all fucking fired, every single one of you. Do you understand?" Her staff nodded solemnly. "Great, now get out." Piper glanced at the clock; it was now four pm. They'd taken an hour and a half for lunch, sure, but the meeting had gone on far too long for her liking. "Oh, John? Stay behind." The tall man in the pale blue shirt froze at hearing the blonde's menacing tone. Fucking Alex Vause was about to lose him his job. The rest of the staff filtered out quietly, leaving Piper alone with her managing director.

"Look, Piper-" He began before the blonde waved her hand dismissively.

"I'm not angry." Piper sounded sincere, and she genuinely was. Who could say no to Alex Vause? She certainly couldn't, so how could she blame John for doing the same? "Well, I'm angry about the mess I've come back to, but I'm not angry about the Alex thing." She explained.

"Oh, right." He wiped the back of his neck nervously, surprised to say the least. "I'm sorry anyway, I didn't know she was your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend." Piper shook her head adamantly. No fucking way was she making assumptions about anything to anyone without talking about it with Alex. Piper could not afford to play with Alex's heart that way; throwing around the term girlfriend casually would ruin whatever it was they had if anyone in the press got hold of it. It wasn't that Piper didn't want people to know, it's that she herself didn't even know where they stood.

"Really? 'Cause, by the sounds of that Polly chick who went to visit you, you two were acting very...couple-y." John teased light-heartedly as Piper groaned and put her face in her hands.

"It's complicated." Piper replied with a tone of finality. The man nodded, thanking her again and leaving with a promise not to fuck up the next time she left. The blonde drummed her fingers thoughtfully on the conference table in front of her, the smell of coffee hanging in the air. It was two hours before she'd agreed to go to Alex's, and already she was feeling uncomfortable. Never, in her life, had she been nervous about going to someone's house to watch movies and eat takeaway food. She'd rarely ever gone to anyone's house to watch movies and eat takeaway food, apart from Polly's once or twice, never mind the house of an attractive, beautiful woman who Piper may have accidentally fallen in love with. The sound of her name rolling off Alex's lips like a prayer when she came, the way her eyes closed and her grip tightened in the blonde's hair, even the rise and fall of her chest as she tried to recover from her third life-changing orgasm (well, Piper liked to think so anyway). All of these were things that were causing Piper to fall slightly more in love with the raven-haired beauty, and although the notion of love was not something she had thought about much, it was the occupation of her thoughts for the rest of the day. Was it love that encouraged her to redo her makeup twice and wear a provocatively tight pair of leggings despite the fact she was going to lie on a sofa all night? Was it love that made her go down to her cellar and pick out one of her favourite wines as a gift for the brunette? Was it love that made Piper's stomach curl when she knocked on Alex's door and her heart beat quicker when she saw the timid smile on the girl's face when she stepped back from the door to invite her in? It sure as hell felt like it.

* * *

"Oh, Blondie, thank God you're here!" Nicky called out to Piper who'd just crossed the threshold into her home. She raised an eyebrow at the bushy-haired girl seated at the table. "Vause wouldn't shut the fuck up about you the whole two weeks you were gone." She explained, to the dismay of a very embarrassed Alex.

"Is that so?" Piper turned to the brunette with the same expression that she'd fastened to Nicky moment ago.

"No, it's fucking not." Alex growled, blushing profusely. "Well, maybe, you know, if you want it to be because I-" She's cut off by the sound of maniacal laughter from her best friend.

"Holy shit, you two are like my own personal little soap opera. Vause, try to be a little bit more awkward, you're not even trying." Nicky quips sarcastically. The taller woman's face gets impossibly redder as she glares at her smug best friend. Piper meanwhile is standing beside her awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot and smiling apprehensively. Nicky regards her with an amused expression as she nudges Alex.

"I brought wine." She states blankly, holding the bottle by the neck in her right hand and shrugging. Nicky was right; she _was_ smoking hot. Her mussed-up blonde hair reached to her breasts, framing her face and bright blue eyes nicely. Her teeth were dead straight and blindingly white, set in deep red lips. She had on a simple outfit; a teal hoody with white drawstrings and a pair of skin-tight black leggings and white converse. It was effortlessly sexy, and Nicky caught Alex staring at Piper's ass as the unlikely couple walked over to the bench in the kitchen, unfortunately out of Nicky's earshot. As she watched the pair talk amicably, Nicky noticed there was something more there than the time she'd watched them in the club. Alex's smile was wider and she kept touching the blonde on the shoulder, the arm, or even brushing her hair out of her face. Piper meanwhile had lost the condescending, teasing look and had replaced it with something like wonder in her eyes and genuine authenticity in her smile. Neither of them could see it yet, too wrapped up in each other to really take a look at themselves, but Nicky saw it. She looked at their faces, observed their movements and was left in no doubt that they were absolutely unreservedly and irrevocably in love.

It was absolutely nauseating, so Nicky bid goodbye to Alex and told Piper (somewhat sarcastically) it was a 'pleasure' to meet her properly. Piper had grinned and shook her hand warmly with a "you too, Vicky." To anyone else it would have looked like a frosty encounter, but both Nicky and Piper were the type of women with big personalities and a tendency to turn everything into a form of banter, so thankfully they got on well.

"Sorry about her." Alex offered, cringing still at Nicky's reveal of how much the brunette liked to talk about Piper.

"It's okay." Piper laughed. "She's cool." Alex nodded her agreement. She began to explain how they went to high school together, then college (until Nicky dropped out), and eventually moved to New York together. They walked around the apartment, Alex doing most of the talking while Piper listened attentively. She would never, ever get tired of the brunette's voice, it was astounding how much she liked listening to it considering Piper was no stranger to lecturing on her own. Alex's tones managed to be light and comforting yet sexy and dark all at once. Her apartment was fairly small, the kitchen and living room all in one area like Piper's but on a much (_much)_ smaller scale. Nicky's bedroom was off to the left, beside the bathroom on the other side of which was Alex's room. It wasn't big, or flashy or anything...but it was so Alex. The walls were made from white stone, adorned with monochrome paintings and photos of the New York skyline. The bed frame was black, not leather like Piper's however, and her sheets were a silver, metallic shade. The floor of the room was a light grey but strange; it was almost reflective but not quite so much that you could make out any details. The rest of the furniture was a warm brown colour, like the wardrobe and bedside cabinets, and in the far corner was an easel on top of a chocolate brown rug. Rows and rows of books lined the wall opposite her bed rather than the TV like in Piper's bedroom. It was rustic, simplistic, but charmingly beautiful much like its inhabitant.

"It's not much." Alex mused quietly from the doorway.

"No!" Piper cried. "It's perfect. I love it." Alex felt her heart swell with pride as the blonde immediately strode over to her easel and the small pile of canvases beside it. "Can I?" She motioned to the pile. Alex nodded, still leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed and a contended smile on her face. The older woman sat down on the rug, crossing her legs like a child and began setting the pictures out in front of her, Alex watching her all the while. It was then that Alex really noticed how beautiful Piper was. Not sexy, or alluring or anything, just beautiful. Her eyes sparkled as they danced across the colours of the canvases, and in turn made Alex smile involuntarily. She had a childish grin on her face and her voice was filled with pride when she talked about how much she loved the paintings. In that moment, Piper Chapman was not beautiful like the girl in the magazines people often saw, she was beautiful right down to her soul in the things she said and did, not for something as temporary as her looks. It briefly occurred to Alex that no one had ever seen the blonde like this, free and uncaring and simply joyful, and to her that was more attractive than if Piper was standing in front of her wearing absolutely nothing (not that she'd be complaining). Alex almost felt like she was intruding for a moment, so she left the room to go and call the number for the Chinese. Piper meanwhile continued to look on in awe at the canvases. Some were simply black and white like the one's above Alex's bed, while other's lit up with a thousand different colours, all masterfully arranged on the small white spaces. The girl was talented, massively so, but Piper reckoned she didn't quite have the knack of selling that the blonde possessed. So she quietly vowed to encourage a few of the gallery owners in the area to come take a look at least, but she wouldn't press too much; this was Alex's thing, it was her life, and Piper didn't want Alex to think that she was taking pity on her. Piper restacked the canvases in the corner once more, before turning the light off and closing the door quietly, stepping back into the main area of the apartment. Alex was standing at the counter, back turned to Piper. The brunette was wearing a fitted red and black shirt, black skinnies (which made her ass look fan-fucking-tastic, Piper noted) and a pair of black combat boots. She looked...really fucking good, Piper decided. The blonde tiptoed quietly over as Alex was setting her phone down. Wrapping her hands around the taller girl's waist, Piper whispered in her ear.

"You know, I can think of a few other things I would rather eat for dinner..." She murmured, attaching her lips to Alex's neck and running her hands over the other girl's torso.

"Really? Well, I can't. My house, my rules." Alex teased, wrapping an arm around the blonde's waist and pulling her close. Piper mock pouted but realised she was actually starving, so she surrendered and contented herself with resting her chin on Alex's shoulder. "It'll be here in five minutes, I hope you like chilli chicken." Alex whispered, still awkwardly trying to hug Piper's waist.

"I can do a lot of things in five minutes." Piper trailed off, still slowly rubbing her hands up and down Alex's lean body. The brunette believed her, and that was exactly why she couldn't take it further; if she did, they wouldn't stop all night and that wasn't the reason Piper was here. They were just going to chill, right. Alex turned to face the blonde whose eyebrows were raised questioningly.

"Go pick a movie, Pipes." She encouraged, kissing her chastely on the lips before sliding away to get out plates and such. The blonde grumbled quietly and padded over to the TV. She too hadn't come here to fuck Alex all night, but there was something addictive about touching the younger girl that Piper simply couldn't help herself. The blonde closed her eyes and ran her finger along the rows of DVD titles before picking one at random. She rolled her eyes at the fucking cliché that seemed to follow her whole life; 'friends with benefits' was the movie. Is that what she was with Alex? It seemed unlikely; they were never really friends. 'Almost sort of girlfriends with benefits' would be a better title for them.

* * *

"That was worse than I thought it would be." Piper sighed into Alex's chest, feeling the vibrations from the other woman as she laughed at the blonde's dismay.

"It's not mine, it's Nicky's." She explained quietly. The pair were situated on the couch, Piper on the inside since halfway through the movie she'd got so bored she'd jumped from the opposite chair and slid underneath Alex's blanket. Piper almost made it to the end of the film without trying anything funny, but for the past half an hour she'd been running her fingers along the bare skin exposed where Alex's t shirt had ridden up and her warm breath on the brunette's neck had caused an almost permanent shiver down Alex's spine. Their legs were tangled together under a thick blanket and Alex's arms hugged Piper's entire body close. It was perfect, really. "You chose it, not me." Alex teased, poking Piper in the ribs. Her hand on Alex's stomach paused for a moment.

"No, it chose me...I swear." She murmured sleepily, stifling a yawn.

"Funny how things work out." Alex stated more to herself than anyone. Piper resumed her ministrations with her fingers as she thought for a moment.

"I don't think I've ever felt more contented in my whole life." Piper doesn't mean to say it out loud, but she does and Alex smiles.

"Me too, kid." She returns, rubbing her hand on Piper's bicep.

"Kid? I thought that was my name for you. I'm older than you!" the blonde insists.

"Hmm, it suits you better though." Alex replies.

"It just sounds sexier when you say it." The brunette laughs at that, finding no end to the amusement she gets from how much Piper likes her voice. "Are we friends with benefits, Alex?" Piper asks suddenly in a timid voice. The brunette stiffens slightly before answering.

"Do you want us to be?" Alex sure as hell doesn't, but she wonders how Piper feels.

"No." Piper says. Alex believes her.

"Then no, we aren't friends with benefits." Alex decides, still as mystified as ever when she considers what they are. This sure feels like a relationship; eating good Chinese food and cuddling together underneath a blanket to watch a shitty film. But instead of putting labels on it, Alex considers how it literally feels to be here with the blonde's warm body pressed against her. It feels good, happy, safe...right. In this moment, Alex Vause feels right, and she bets that Piper does too.

"Alex?" Piper whispers as if she thinks her partner may have fallen asleep.

"Yeah?" Alex's voice is also quiet, and she feels nervous suddenly. Piper has stilled in her arms and she can feel the waves of tension rolling off the blonde.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Piper squeaks out eventually after a few moments. Alex feels herself sink into the sofa with relief. _Yes, god, I will be your fucking girlfriend!_ She almost screams, but she just moves her hands onto Piper's face and looks her in the eye. The blonde looks like a really sexy deer caught in headlights.

"Yes, I will be your girlfriend." Piper smiles so wide she feels her cheeks hurt, but it's a wonderful type of pain and Alex grins too. The blonde reaches up to take Alex's glasses off before pulling herself on top of the girl and kissing her sweetly, smiling contently into the kiss. It's gentle, loving even, their tongues not fighting each other but caressing slowly, and Alex runs her hands from Piper's hair to her cheek, cupping it gently and pulling the blonde closer. They stay like this for a while, simply basking in the happiness radiating off each other. There's nothing sexual about it, and neither of them complain when Piper has to break the kiss to yawn. Alex nods understandingly when Piper looks at her apologetically and simply opens her arms under the large blanket for the blonde to climb into again. She does so, curling up against the taller woman like she did during the movie, listening to Alex's steady heartbeat. The term 'kid' suits her very well in that moment.

"Goodnight, girlfriend." Piper giggles dreamily at her comment and feels Alex laugh along with her.

"Goodnight, girlfriend." Alex repeats, smiling like an idiot. They could go to her bed, sure, but they're so fucking content that neither of them wants to move an inch from their position of touching in every single way possible; legs, chests, arms, hearts all as one.

* * *

That's how Nicky finds them at three o'clock in the morning, still molded together, as she stumbles in with Lorna close behind. She rolls her eyes, but the brunette finds it adorable. Alex Vause has the biggest damn smile on her face, peacefully snoring with the blanket pulled around her. Piper's blonde mane is still visible though her face isn't, but Nicky would bet good money that she also has the same grin on her face. They look..._happy, _Nicky decides. _In love._

"Oh my God." Nicky whispers loudly.

"What?!" Lorna hisses, alarmed at the other girl.

"Vause and Chapman are dating." She laughs, shaking her head. "This is gonna be absolutely fucking brilliant."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Very quick update for once. Quite long too. Sorry if the smut is terrible. Thank you kindly for all your bloody awesome reviews. The next few chapters will be quite light and fluffy before shit starts to get real and you all threaten to kill me. :-)

* * *

If you had told Alex Vause two weeks and four days ago that she'd be waking up on her sofa with an alluring, sexy, millionaire girlfriend who also happened to be her boss fast asleep in her arms, she wouldn't even have dignified you with an answer. And yet, here she was, blinking the sleep from her eyes and unable to move an inch because her companion was pressed flush against her, snoring lightly into Alex's chest. The brunette wasn't complaining; she could contentedly lie here with Piper for the rest of her life. Piper's arm rested across the taller girl's midriff tightly, as if letting go of Alex would cause her to disappear into thin air. She lay for about fifteen minutes, just studying the blonde's peaceful expression and running her fingers absentmindedly through her hair. Piper stirred eventually, groggily trying to open her eyes while Alex grinned at her amusedly. It was adorable to see the usually glamorous woman wearing a slightly oversized hoody, hair sticking out wildly and a dumbfounded expression on her face as she came to. Piper saw the apartment first, and then became aware of the _extremely_ soft pillow she was lying on. The fruity smell of washing detergent filled the blonde's lungs as she inhaled deeply, trying to get herself awake. Finally, she shifted her head slightly to look at her pillow. It was a really fucking sexy pillow, with green eyes and tousled raven hair, grinning back at her slyly.

"God your boobs are soft." Piper mumbles quietly into Alex's chest. The other woman chuckles huskily and continues combing her fingers through the blonde's hair.

"Good morning to you too." She replied, her voice rough with sleep. It was similar to the first morning they shared together, only this time neither of them moved an inch from their little cocoon under the blanket.

"Good morning, _girlfriend." _Piper grinned winningly up at Alex, enjoying how the term fell effortlessly from her lips. The brunette returned the smile, trailing her hand underneath Piper's chin and attempting to pull the smaller girl towards her. "No way, Al. Morning breath?" Piper grimaced as Alex moved into kiss her before pulling back and narrowing her green eyes.

"Shut the fuck up and kiss me." She demanded, and before Piper could protest Alex had captured her mouth in a sweet kiss, her fingers dancing across the blonde's cheek slowly. Piper briefly thought about stopping before she realised that would literally be impossible, so she returned the kiss in kind, allowing Alex to take the lead. The brunette finds it exhilarating every time their lips meet; Piper's lips are extraordinarily soft and her tongue mixes with Alex's sweetly rather than fighting her. It's slow and languid; Piper's removes her arm from around Alex's waist and leans on it instead, raising herself off the brunette so she can kiss her easier. They stay like this for a few minutes, Alex's fingers tentatively stroking the exposed skin on the blonde's waist before Piper's arm tires from holding her body weight and she falls heavily on top of her girlfriend, knocking the air out of the brunette. Alex is laughing, though, and Piper giggles along with her, contenting herself with pressing her lips against Alex's bare shoulder. The taller girl sighs happily, rubbing her hand up and down Piper's back slowly. It all feels so normal, as if they've known each other and been together for months.

"I would become a morning person if this became a regular occurrence." Alex whispers after a few minutes.

"If what became a regular occurrence? Lying on a sofa while I do all the work?" Piper quips, but it's sarcastic. She doesn't mind having her back stroked while she places kisses on Alex's neck. She loves it, in fact.

"No. Waking up beside you." Alex states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. It's a bit forward, but it's true. Piper considers Alex's revelation for a moment before nodding her agreement.

"Although a bed and pyjamas would be nice." The blonde adds, before burying her head in Alex's neck again. They lie together for another while, basking in the comfort and happiness of their relationship, before Piper realises something. "Al?" She says from her position beside Alex's ear.

"Hmm?" The brunette replies, feeling giddy from how fucking happy she is.

"What're you doing for Christmas?" It was exactly a week until Christmas Day, and tomorrow Piper's offices would close until the second week of January.

"I'm going to see my parents and family in Jersey for a few days, why?" Alex feels guilty talking about her family to the blonde. It wasn't fair that Piper had little to no family to be with over the holidays. Alex couldn't even begin to imagine Christmas without her parents.

"When're you back?" Piper asks quietly.

"The twenty-ninth." Alex answers, confused as to why Piper is asking a question that she already knows the answer to; she'd booked Alex the holidays herself while in Milan.

"Can you bring your parents here for New Years?" The blonde enquires without offering an explanation as to why Alex should randomly invite her overly protective, WASPy, traditional parents to New York despite spending Christmas with them. Alex stills her hands on Piper's back and turns towards her on the sofa. Piper's eyes are questioning and she looks apprehensive.

"Why?" Alex eventually says. Piper looks away and gathers her breath before looking back at her girlfriend.

"Look, Al." She begins. "If we're going to do this whole...relationship thing, I want to be able to treat you like a normal girlfriend. Go on dates, go for walks, all of that. But I would rather your parents hear about it from us rather than the pages of a gossip magazine. I _know_ it's early to be introducing me to your parents, but they deserve to know through you or me instead of a journalist." Piper explains as Alex nods, understanding the blonde's reasoning. She can't even imagine how angry her parents would be if they saw a picture of her with Piper under some cheesy headline claiming that Piper had found '_the one'. _"I usually throw a party at my apartment complex on New Years, but they could come over for dinner with us beforehand? You could bring Nicky too." Piper reasons with her girlfriend. Alex ponders it for a moment before realising it's actually quite a good plan; she can spend New Years with Piper and go out with her without having to worry about what gets printed in the tabloids.

"Okay." Alex breathes, smiling at the blonde who seems to sag with relief. Piper grins widely and is about to lean in for another kiss before the pair are interrupted.

"Hey, not-lesbians." Nicky calls from her bedroom door while walking to the kitchen counter. "It's eight." Both women on the sofa blush and smile sheepishly at each other before Alex eventually stands on her feet, offering her hand to Piper. She takes it, glancing from their entwined fingers up to Alex's eyes with a look of amazement in her blue eyes. Nicky begins to feel sick, but not from her hangover. "Congratulations." Nicky grins knowingly at her best friend and the blonde beside her.

"For what?" Piper asks, confused.

"Vause has finally learnt how to play softball. Batter up!" She teases, Alex rolling her eyes.

"Very funny, Nicky." The brunette responds coldly, annoyed at her morning with Piper being interrupted. But, they both need to work today after the catastrophic fuck up of the week so far and the impending closure for the holidays, so Piper turns to face Alex and touches her cheek softly.

"Relax." She smiles genuinely up at her girlfriend who manages to stop glaring at Nicky (who's still laughing and goes to get Lorna so she can show her what she's missing out on) and instead fixes her gaze on Piper. It's terribly cheesy, clichéd and romanticised, but Alex feels at home when she looks at Piper. She could happily stand here all morning staring into those baby blues, but life must go on. "I'll see you at work. Don't be late." Piper winks, leaning into the brunette's strong embrace.

"Wouldn't dream of it, boss." Alex whispers against the blonde's lips before touching them with her own. It starts innocently enough; chaste kisses with Piper's fingers caught in Alex's hair and the brunette's hands settled on her girlfriend's waist. It quickly becomes heated however, as Piper pushes Alex against the kitchen counter and presses into her body, the blonde's tongue forcing itself into Alex's mouth. Alex's hands are everywhere; Piper's ass, sides, hair, before she settles on the skin exposed where her hoody has ridden up. It definitely shouldn't be happening; in less than an hour they should be in work, Piper is her fucking boss, and Nicky and Lorna are looking on with a mixture of disgust and amusement, but above all this? It feels fucking incredible to both Piper and Alex, and it's reckless and inappropriate (especially inappropriate are the sounds coming from the blonde, because she definitely should be getting ready for work), but they continue making out heatedly against the kitchen counter until Nicky just has to put an end to it; she doesn't want any funny business going on where she eats her damn breakfast.

"That's really hetero, Vause! Try not to orgasm all over the eggs, asshole." She yells, and Lorna punches her in the shoulder.

"You've really done it now, Nicky." She hisses before turning back to the heavily breathing couple in front of them. Piper's hands are caught in Alex's hair, while the brunette's fingertips are resting on Piper's waist, their foreheads together, eyes locked and Alex almost crushed against the kitchen counter. It was probably the most surreal thing Lorna has ever seen; Piper Chapman had been her boss for two years and the only emotions she'd ever seen from the blonde were pissed off and _very fucking pissed off._ It was Alex surprisingly who broke out of the trance first, blinking and patting Piper's waist before straightening up. Piper followed suit, smoothing out Alex's shirt where she'd groped her moments ago and blushing.

"Bye." Piper whispered sheepishly, embarrassed at how heated things had gotten in front of Nicky and one of her fucking staff members. "Not a word, Miss Morello." Piper warned the smaller girl with a nod and a wave goodbye to Nicky.

"See you later." Alex husked, opening the door for Piper and patting her on the ass as she walked out, gaining a suggestive eyebrow raise from the blonde before she laughed and waved back. She closed the door slowly, reluctant to return to the barrage of abuse she was about to receive from Nicky.

"You're fucked!" Nicky began with, laughing loudly as Alex walked back over to start making breakfast.

"I know." Alex grinned this time. She was both literally and emotionally fucked by Piper Chapman, and she couldn't be happier.

* * *

The lead up to Christmas passed quickly, both women kept extremely busy; Piper with work and arranging contacts for the period in which the building was closed, and Alex with arranging her trip to Jersey and her parents' trip to New York.

"They can drive home with you on the twenty-ninth and stay in one of my apartments." Piper reiterated the night before Alex left. The couple were lying hand in hand back in the room where Piper had first let herself go with Alex and cried to her about her mother. There were no tears this time, although both women were quite dismayed at the fact they'd be apart again. They hadn't slept together since the night Piper had asked Alex out (because of various reasons like conflicting schedules and Alex's reluctance to endure any more drubbing from Nicky), but tonight they finally made time for each other and in the morning Piper would drive her girlfriend to the train station and wave her off, probably whilst crying or something deep like that. For now though, the blonde contended herself with the feeling of Alex's thumb smoothing over her knuckles softly and gazing through the glass roof at the unusually clear night above them. The lamp beside the bed was off this time and the room was illuminated only by the pale moonlight streaming in. Alex wore a pair of navy shorts and a white vest top (she'd actually brought pyjamas of her own this time). Piper meanwhile just had on a dark green t shirt that barely covered her ass, not that it really mattered. Although, Alex hadn't seen Piper even close to being naked yet, instead she was constantly teased by the sight of the blonde's long, tanned legs at work and whenever they went out. It was getting out of hand, really.

"I like how most people would say 'in my guest room', but you say 'in one of my apartments'." Alex laughed softly at her revelation. Piper nodded, chuckling too when she realised how it might sound to someone else. Alex had brought Piper out for a meal that night, to a small Italian she'd discovered downtown. The blonde was still feeling the effects from the ridiculously large pizza she'd had no right to even attempt to eat, but she did. It's about comfort, right?

"I am now the proud owner of America's first real life food baby." She groaned, wincing at how sluggish she felt. The past week had tired her out, and Christmas was never something she looked forward to without her mom there. The couple had agreed to give each other their presents after Alex returned from her trip, although the brunette protested vehemently that the thousand euro watch that had adorned her wrist for the past week was more than enough. Piper was obviously dismissive, but promised not to spend so much this time around. Alex moved her hand from Piper's and onto the blonde's stomach, rubbing softly over her t shirt. She relaxed, enjoying how her girlfriend's fingers soothed her almost instantly. It was more than soothing though, having Alex's nimble digits dancing over the planes of her stomach; it turned her on more than she cared to admit, and sent shockwaves rippling through her. Alex could quite clearly feel it too, and as clichéd as it was there was definitely a palpable connection between the pair. Wordlessly, as if the both knew what was to come (or rather, _who_ was to come), Alex kept her hand on Piper's stomach but swung her leg over the blonde, straddling her slightly as their lips met in a heated kiss. Piper's back arched to try and come into contact with Alex, roughly pulling the brunette by the shirt flush against her. Alex's tongue swept over Piper's bottom lip and her hand slipped underneath the blonde's flimsy t shirt and came into direct contact with her bare skin. Piper was surprised at the sudden forwardness of her girlfriend, but she liked it (_loved it) _and she moaned into Alex's mouth, the familiar taste of mint on her tongue. It wasn't like toothpaste, but it was cool and spine tingling and reflective of the brunette's persona; sexy as hell without really trying too hard.

"Take your shirt off." Alex ordered in the deepest voice Piper had ever heard her use, causing a rush of heat to flash down to the blonde's core. She abided (she would do anything Alex asked if the brunette were to use that voice), peeling off the offending item and throwing it to the side of the bed. Clad in only her underwear for the first time in front of Alex, it occurred to Piper that her girlfriend was probably quite nervous.

"Just do what comes naturally." Piper encouraged her, and Alex took a moment to observe the ravishing woman beneath her. The blonde's messy hair was covering most of the pillow that she lay on, and her skin (pale in the dwindling moonlight of the room) contrasted startlingly with the black satin of her sheets. Her blue eyes were dark and hooded, and her full lips were slightly swollen and parted as she regarded Alex warily. Piper's underwear was matching red lace, barely covering her and Alex struggled to even call it underwear it was that skimpy. She was, simply put but in the most complex way imaginable, beautiful. Alex informed her girlfriend of the fact, her voice laced with admiration.

"You're so beautiful." She whispered, returning her eyes to Piper's face and leaning down to kiss her again. No one had ever called Piper that while in bed. It was always "oh my god you're so hot, or sexy, or fit," but never beautiful. And in that moment, with Alex's wicked tongue delving into her mouth and her talented fingers inching towards her bra clasp, Piper Chapman really did feel quite beautiful. The blonde helped Alex with uncharacteristically shaky fingers to pull her bra off. Piper had no reason to be nervous; she'd been here quite a few times to say the least, but never like this. This wasn't just fucking, this was making love. She was Alex's first, and she knew how big a deal that was to both of them. Piper ran her hand through Alex's raven locks, smoothing the hair off her forehead and marvelling at how stunning the younger girl was without her glasses. It was like a barrier to her mind and soul had been removed when she took them off. Alex grew in confidence slightly as she fastened her lips to Piper's neck, biting softly and drawing one of the blonde's nipples between her thumb and forefinger, teasing and pulling while the older woman moaned softly in her ear, running her fingers calmingly through Alex's hair. Alex was no stranger to sex; she'd been with enough men to know when the other person was enjoying it, but she was clueless when it came to what made women tick. She tried to think back to that morning with Piper in her office, remembering how the blonde had teased her relentlessly with her fingers, rubbing Alex's clit softly and making her beg for it before thrusting two fingers into her hard and fast, an infuriating yet totally understandable smirk on her face. The brunette felt herself become impossibly more turned on as she thought back, pulling harder at Piper's nipples and eliciting a strangled groan from her girlfriend. Contented that she'd left enough of a mark for the blonde to remember her by when she was gone for her trip, Alex slowly moved down Piper's chest towards her breasts, replacing her hands with her mouth and grazing her teeth ever so slightly over Piper's sensitive nub.

"Fuck." Piper was astonished at how Alex was making her feel; every kiss, touch, bite was driving her crazy, and she was sure there was a puddle forming between her legs despite the fact that Alex hadn't even got that far. Every movement from the brunette was serving to turn Piper on more and more, and she had a feeling she couldn't take much more of it. By the time Alex had repeated her movements on her other nipple, Piper was halfway to insanity. She tugged on Alex's hair, unable to speak much more than a few words and brought their lips together desperately. Piper was kissing Alex with everything she had; passion, intensity and love were poured into the kiss as her tongue snaked into the brunette's mouth and Alex's hand slipped further from her chest and towards her underwear. The younger girl drummed her fingers on Piper's flat stomach for a moment, teasing her.

"Don't." Piper warned, but Alex just smiled cockily at her before kissing her again, inching her hand ever so slightly lower. She skipped over the skimpy thong completely though, instead resting her palm on a toned thigh of the blonde, squeezing gently and again moving her lips away from Piper's who groaned, frustrated.

"Be patient, Pipes." Alex encouraged hotly in her ear, pressing a kiss to the spot behind it before pulling back and taking her own shirt and shorts off. Discarding them, she moved both her hands to Piper's thighs and ran her fingers up and down them slightly, before drawing off the final item that separated her from Piper's fully naked form. Panties discarded carelessly, Alex crawled back up her girlfriend's body, palming at Piper's breasts roughly while kissing her hard. "Do you trust me?" Alex had to be sure that Piper wanted this, although judging by her keening moans throughout the night it was quite obvious.

"God, yes, I trust you. Touch me wherever the hell you want." Piper's voice was hoarse with lust by this point and she raised her hips to try and get her point across. Alex chuckled at her forwardness and moved her right hand onto the blonde's waist to ease her back into the mattress. Her fingers lingered momentarily before she dragged them slowly towards the blonde's centre. Her face was just in front of Piper's, lips barely touching and gaze locked. The blonde's expression would be funny under different circumstances, her eyes were wide and filled with desire, her lips wet and her eyebrows raised slightly, silently begging for Alex to touch her. And so she did, running a single finger up and down Piper's slit, marvelling at the wetness that collected there. Piper traced her girlfriend's face with her fingers dreamily, thumb pulling Alex's lower lip down ever so slightly before letting go.

"Hmm, did I do that?" Alex husks as Piper closes her eyes. "Oops."

"No, it was your fucking invisible friend beside you." She hisses, infinitely frustrated as Alex continues to lazily touch her without really doing anything.

"I don't think you're in a position to be sarcastic, kid." Alex drawls, pausing her movements.

"Please, stop it." Piper begs without really thinking, and the brunette draws her hand away completely.

"Fine." She mock pouts at the girl in front of her who's now glaring at Alex angrily.

"No, don't stop." Piper changes her mind, crying out. "Just fuck me Alex, please." She tries to push herself against Alex's long fingers. It's killing Alex as much as it's killing Piper to continue this, so the brunette gives in and enters one digit into the blonde slowly. The woman below Alex shudders, gripping onto the younger girl's shoulders and digging into her with her nails. It hurts, but it's that kind of pain you want again and again. Alex moves her finger slowly, as if testing the waters until Piper moans longingly and opens her eyes again, as if to ask _what the fuck is going on here?_ Alex kisses her then to shut her up, before entering a second finger into her girlfriend and curling her fingers ever so slightly. Alex swallows the blonde's loud groan with her mouth, moving the two fingers in and out of Piper much quicker now, fucking her properly. She decides it would be quite nice listening to Piper's reactions, so she breaks the kiss and moves her lips back down to Piper's breasts, intending to capture a rock hard nipple in her mouth.

"Open your eyes, Piper." Alex's voice comes out so thick she hardly recognises it, and Piper just moans louder when she sees the look of unadulterated desire in her girlfriend's eyes. The blonde rocked her hips against Alex's hand, arching into her mouth all the while. Her body felt like it was on fire; for a first timer, the brunette was absolutely incredible at getting a rise out of Piper. It took all her strength not to look away from Alex's dark green eyes, raking her nails down the other girl's back and groaning when her fingers curled that extra millimetre inside her.

"More, Al. Please." Piper doesn't care that she's begging for it (something she has never done), all she wants (_needs_) is Alex to make her cum so hard she'll have something to hold onto when Alex has to go on that fucking trip. So the brunette adds a third finger, ignoring the slight burn in her arm and brings her other hand up to pinch the nipple she unfortunately has to neglect, fixing Piper with a lustful stare and crooked grin the whole time she does so. Her thumb inadvertently bumped against the blonde's clit, and her whole body jerked underneath Alex's, a loud moan falling from her lips followed by what was probably supposed to be Alex's name but just sounded like gibberish. Alex left her thumb there, rubbing harshly against the sensitive nub and thrusting with more fervour than before into Piper's tight pussy. It was probably the worst time to be overcome with a bout of shyness, but Alex realised she wanted front row seats to watch her girlfriend come undone, wanted to taste what she tasted like, but she was nervous as to what Piper might think. Placing a kiss between the older woman's breasts, Alex raised her eyebrows as the blonde tried to stop the seemingly constant moans falling from her lips to answer her girlfriend's unspoken question.

"Please." Is all she manages before another tremor rips through her as Alex's fingers curl deliciously, finding that rough spot deep inside her. Piper tries to hold on, she really does, but Alex keeps hitting that spot and the blonde simply lets go, her first orgasm tearing throughout her body, spreading to her fingertips and toes as Alex's name spills repeatedly from her lips, along with a few "fucks" and "oh my gods". Alex doesn't remove her fingers however, simply slowing her movements ever so slightly as the blonde's walls clench tightly around her digits. She presses wet, open mouthed kisses across Piper's stomach, her girlfriend's skin glowing with a thin sheen of sweat. As the older woman relaxes momentarily, the brunette moves her fingers quicker again, thrusting in and out at an unprecedented pace as her mouth reaches Piper's defined hipbone and the V leading to her centre. The blonde's fingers rake through her hair, borderline painfully, but it only serves to encourage Alex as she presses a final kiss to the inside of Piper's thigh before inhaling the heady, earthly aroma of Piper's pussy that causes her eyes to roll back slightly and a moan of her own to escape.

"Open your legs wider." She commands from between Piper's legs, and the blonde complies immediately. Alex kneels at the bottom of the bed, removing her fingers from Piper's core and placing both her hands on the blonde's thighs to hold her in place. Tentatively, Alex licks once up and down Piper's soaking slit, much like she had done with her finger earlier. The blonde tastes sweet, incredibly so, and Alex knows already that she'll never get enough of tasting Piper. The older woman tries to grind her hips against Alex, who gives into her protests and forces the blonde's hips into the mattress, delving into her pussy with reckless abandon. Alex lips, sucks, nips at Piper who moans wantonly above her, one hand in Alex's hair and the other fisting the sheet beside her, the pleasure unbearable. Alex's tongue is quickly joined by two fingers thrusting roughly in and out while the brunette captures her girlfriend's clit in her mouth, tonguing the engorged button momentarily before dragging her teeth across it gently.

"Fuck!" Piper cried, opening her eyes to be met with hands down the hottest thing she's ever seen. Alex Vause, raven hair messy and ruffled, moonlight casting a pale glow on her slender shoulders, between her legs with a devilish smirk on her lips and a knowing look in her eyes that were now basically black. It almost hurt to look at, but Piper couldn't tear her eyes away as Alex's tongue and fingers continued to pleasure her intently.

"Come for me, Pipes." The brunette breathed against her pussy, and two long, hard strokes later Piper was gripping at the sheets and her girlfriend's hair with all her strength, crying out prayers and syllables supposed to sound like Alex's name, a bead of sweat running down her temple. She almost passed out as she came hard, toes curling and head thrown back against the pillow. Piper thought she was on fire, and Alex rocked back on her heels before beginning to make her way back up Piper's body.

"Horrible, wasn't it?" She grinned slyly, wiping her mouth on her naked bicep as the blonde tried to collect herself.

"The worst. You're really bad at that." She slurred, still dazed from her orgasm. Alex chuckled before finally kissing Piper again after what felt like an age. Piper moaned again as she tasted herself on her girlfriend's lips before pulling back and sinking impossibly further into the mattress. Neither of them had much energy left, and although Piper would have liked nothing more than to fuck Alex into oblivion and return the favour, she was simply worn out. Alex just nodded understandingly before slipping her own underwear off and crawling under the sheets. The blonde followed suit, enjoying how Alex's newly exposed skin served to cool her down slightly. The younger girl placed a chaste kiss on her girlfriend's slightly sweaty neck before Piper turned to face her.

"Goodnight, Alex Vause." She sighed happily, already drifting off when Alex's arm went around her waist and pulled her close. The blonde snuggled into her chest gratefully as she always did when they slept together.

"Goodnight, Piper." Comes Alex's reply a moment later, a permanent smile etched on her face.

"Al?" Piper always seemed to do this before they fell asleep.

"Piper?" Alex whispered, combing her fingers absentmindedly through Piper's hair.

"I..." Piper trails off, her heart thumping irrationally quickly and her breath catching in her throat. She doesn't know why she goes to say it and Alex's eyes widen in the growing darkness of the room as she stills her movements. "I'm going to miss you." Piper finally chokes out, heart still thumping as she tries to relax again. Alex senses the blonde's strange disappointment and places an understanding kiss to her forehead before replying.

"I'll miss you so much, Piper." She murmurs. _"And I love you, too."_ Her mind adds before sleep overcomes them both.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Double update tonight because I kept accidentally deleting everything I'd written and had to start over again twice. Reviews motivate me, even if they're only a few words :)

* * *

"Don't go." Piper repeated to the girl in the passenger seat.

"Piper, babe." Alex groaned, closing her eyes and leaning back. "I _have_ to." She reiterated to her girlfriend who pouted before taking her keys out of the ignition.

"I know." She stated blankly. The conversation had been going on like this all morning, in fact the blonde's first words upon waking up were simply _"You're not fucking leaving."_ It was adorable at first, but Piper's incessant whining was growing old; Alex felt almost guilty just for going to spend Christmas with her family. Piper didn't open her car door this time; instead the blonde rather slowly dragged herself out of the Audi R8 and slid open the matte black boot, pulling out the brunette's bags. Alex sighed, fixing her glasses before stepping out of her side and taking the bags sheepishly from Piper. There were a few bystanders at the train looking their way; due to both the flashy car and its blonde driver (who had a pair of dark Ray Bans on during the middle of fucking winter). Piper ignored them, however, shuffling towards brunette sadly. Alex was helpless; there was nothing much she could do to cheer up her girlfriend.

"Come here, Pipes." The taller girl enveloped Piper in a warm embrace, stroking her hair as the blonde fought to keep her emotions under wraps. It was fucking stupid; Alex would be back in less than a week, but she'd grown to feel comfortable just by knowing the brunette was near. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend tightly, inhaling the scent of Alex's leather jacket and sighing contentedly. "Merry Christmas, kid." Alex whispers.

"Merry Christmas, Al." Is all Piper could muster, consciously having to stop herself from letting an "I love you" fall from her lips as it almost had yet. No, it was far too soon for that. She wasn't sure when it was right to say that to your lover, but a month after meeting them did not seem long enough to wait. Piper did love her though, so she was kind of dismayed that society's expectations deemed she had to wait longer. But wait she did, squeezing Alex tightly in the middle of the station, onlookers be damned. Alex placed a kiss on Piper's forehead, but the blonde was having none of it as she grabbed the labels of Alex's jacket and brought their lips together messily, noses bumping and the brunette's glasses sliding off her face. Fixing them without stopping the kiss, Alex's cupped Piper's cheek as the blonde slipped her tongue into her willing girlfriend's mouth, one hand gripping the back of Alex's neck to pull her impossibly closer and the other on one of the lapels of the brunette's jacket. Piper continued to kiss her fiercely for a minute before Alex pulled away, cocking an eyebrow at the blonde who smirked back at her.

"To remember me by." She shrugged.

"Piper, I'm not leaving you and going halfway around the world." Alex chuckled softly, tucking a stray hair behind her girlfriend's ear. "I'm going to fucking New Jersey for a few days."

"You're still leaving." Piper huffs, before her expression softens. "I know, I know I'm a narcissist." Alex shrugs this time and kisses her chastely once more.

"Bye, Piper." She whispers sadly, grabbing her a bag in each hand.

"Bye, asshole. See you soon." Piper tries to hide her emotions with a crooked grin, and Alex raises her eyebrows before sticking out her tongue. She turns, walks a fair distance before shouting back.

"Stop staring at my ass!" It garners a few odd looks from passers-by, but Piper just winks suggestively, blows a sarcastic kiss in Alex's direction and screws up her face in an exaggerated grin. Alex shakes her head and chuckles, waving once more before disappearing into the bustling crowd of the train station. Piper sighs, deflated, and makes awkward eye contact with a few incredulous witnesses. They're all wide eyed or blinking, as if trying to figure out if they just saw Piper Chapman making it out with a tall brunette in the middle of Grand Central Station. Piper ignores them, slipping her ray bans back on and sliding effortlessly back into the cooler interior of her car, giving the bystanders a quick flash of her black, red-soled heels before swinging the door shut quickly. She revved the engine rather flamboyantly before beginning the fairly lengthy drive back to her apartment, radio blaring. Piper fought the urge to groan and simply rolled her eyes at the song that just so happened to be playing at that moment. _How apt._

_/_ _Those three words are said too much, they're not enough_

_If I lay here, If I just lay here_

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?/ _Piper wondered if she were to give it all up; the cars, the money, the extravagant lifestyle, all of it...would Alex stay? Was the brunette in love with _her_ or her possessions? It was a silly question to ask; Piper knew as well as Alex that even if the blonde worked a dead end job and didn't have a penny to her name, Alex would love her all the same. She hoped Alex loved her, she really did. Piper had a feeling that Alex loved her as much as she loved the brunette, if not more. She could see how Alex's eyes lit up every time she saw her, or how she always seemed to want to touch Piper's hair, face, arms, anything she could get her hands on. The way Alex had held her hand under the table at dinner last night and gazed at her with that dopey grin on her face. It looked like love, and it felt like love. It _was _love, right?

/ _All that I am, all that I ever was, is here in your perfect eyes; they're all I can see._

_I don't know where, confused about how as well, just know that these things will never change for us at all. / _

In bed that first night, Piper Chapman was naked for the first time in her life, really. Not literally, but she was laid bare in front of Alex in a much more personal way. The brunette could see and hear Piper's hopes, fears, dreams, nightmares, past, future; her entire soul really. Everything she ever was, and everything she is today. And Alex hadn't pushed her away but instead pulled her closer, understood her, comforted her. It was confusing; why the hell did Piper feel so comfortable revealing herself in front of a total stranger? There was something about Alex, however, in the way she carried herself and in her becoming green eyes. There was an air of understanding about the girl everywhere she went; Piper had seen it that night, felt it as the taller woman pulled her closer and wiped her tears as the moon disappeared behind a cloud along with any hope of Piper ever being able to tear herself away from Alex. Neither of them could explain why, or how they'd fallen in love, but as Alex sat on the train drumming her fingers quietly and gazing out at the droplets of rain cascading down the window and Piper tore down the road in her car, both women simply knew they were in love, and there was not a damn thing they could do about it.

* * *

"Are you gonna tell me who she is or do I have to guess." Cal Chapman questioned from across the dinner table. Piper pawed at her mouth with her napkin before setting it down and raising an eyebrow.

"Cal." She began. "What the _fuck_ are you talking about?" Piper shook her head as his wife laughed quietly.

"C'mon, Piper, I haven't seen you this happy on Christmas Day since that time you got those Bratz dolls." Piper rolled her eyes at the memory and narrowed her eyes at her brother.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She scoffed. Piper's grandmother cleared her throat at the other end of the table.

"Now, Piper. Do tell." She pressed, and the blonde took a gulp of wine before clearing her throat.

"There's nothing to tell."

"Liar!" Cal cried before Neri hushed him abruptly.

"I'm sure if Piper had anything to tell you she would have by now." She surmised and Piper threw her a grateful nod.

"See?" Piper shrugged at her family, or what remained of them anyway. Her grandmother and grandfather were at the opposite end to her, in the middle were Cal and Neri on one side, Piper and her aunt Helen on the other, and finally at the head of the table sat Piper's oldest brother David. They were in Cal and Neri's house in the suburbs, Piper's love life the current topic of conversation. She didn't want to jinx it however, so she played coy on the details. That was until the shrill ring of her iPhone interrupted them and the blonde glanced at the caller ID. 'Al' it read, below which was a picture of them in the park beside Piper's apartment they'd met together in about five days ago. It was cute; Piper's head was on Alex's shoulder and she smiled brightly as her girlfriend buried her face in the smaller girl's blonde locks to try and hide from the photo, but you could make out the grin on her face as clear as day. Piper blushed and excused herself quickly as her entire family saw the picture; her phone had been sitting beside her plate for the past ten minutes.

"Alex." She breathed, an involuntary smile tugging at her mouth.

"Merry Christmas, baby." Came Alex's low voice from the other side of the line. Piper closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.

"You too, sweetheart." The brunette could hear the smile in her girlfriend's voice and she too was grinning. "How are you?" Piper enquired.

"Oh, you know, aside from the interrogation my parents are performing, I'm good." Alex chuckled lowly, sitting on her bed in her old room.

"I can relate to that." Piper replied, running her finger over the photos of her childhood that sat on the fireplace. The pair spoke at length about their gifts, Christmas dinners, family, friends; anything and everything if it meant they didn't have to hang up. It was comforting to hear Alex's voice, to know she was happy. She sounded happy, anyway. Eventually, as the call ticked past an hour and a half, Alex realised she was neglecting her family.

"Piper, I have to go, I'm sorry." Why was it always her who left? Piper didn't notice, but Alex did. She made a mental note to quit being so fucking wary of what other's might think of her. Piper, meanwhile, was the polar opposite. She was so wrapped up in herself that she couldn't give a damn about her family and was quite upset that Alex had to leave. She understood, though. It just wasn't a notion the blonde was familiar with; to care about others.

"It's okay." She sighed, resigning herself to the fact it was still four days until she could see the brunette.

"At least it's only four days until I'm back?" Alex offered, and Piper laughed sarcastically at her optimism compared to Piper's pessimism.

"I know, baby. I miss you." Piper whispered quietly. She heard Alex's disconsolate sigh on the other end of the line before her warm voice came through.

"I miss you too, Pipes, so fucking much. Goodnight, kid; I'll be home soon." She promised using the most sincere tone she could muster. She was suffering without Piper, upset that she couldn't make the blonde happy. Annoyed that she was the reason her girlfriend was unhappy.

"Goodnight, Al." She whispered quickly before the line went dead. Both women crawled into bed that night, alone; despite only being thirty minutes from each other, it felt like they were worlds apart. Alex was surrounded by her huge, doting, over protective family who showered her with gifts while Piper slept amongst people she barely regarded as more than strangers and their generic gifts like bath salts reflected that. What do you buy for a woman who has it all, yet at the moment feels like she has nothing left?

* * *

Piper stops being overdramatic eventually, (_"nothing left?" You're seeing her in four days, get over it!" _her mind had screamed at her) and she completes her routine run around her usual area in record time, eager to get showered, changed and on her way to the train station. She bounces on her toes in the elevator, adrenaline coursing through her veins. _"Today's the day!" _She inwardly squeals, bounding along the corridor like a child and bursting through the door of her apartment. She peels her clothes off while skipping towards the wet room to take a quick shower. Before she does so, however, the blonde lifts her phone from her bedroom and dials her head of finance's number. It rings four times before his thick accent filters through the phone.

"Miss Chapman." It's obvious that Piper has just woken Robert up.

"Robert, how are you? Happy holidays!" She chirps, stepping out her shorts and grinning devilishly.

"Did you call me at eight am on my day off to ask how I am?" He groans. Piper chuckles for a moment.

"Of course I fucking didn't. I need to borrow your car." She explains, and she can almost hear Robert's eyebrows fly up.

"_You_ need to borrow _my _car?!" He sounds as if Piper has just told him she has three nipples.

"Yes!" Piper hisses. "You know all my cars are sporty and two door and all that, and I need something bigger."

"Well, alright, on one condition." Piper rolls her eyes but stays quiet, waiting for him to elaborate. "You tell me _why."_ She can hear the sly grin in his voice.

"Because I'm picking people up from the station." The blonde tries to leave it at that, but Robert is having none of it.

"Bullshit, Piper!" He laughs heartily down the line. "Since when do you pick people up? You have a driver for fuck sake. Who is it?" Piper sighs. Robert is probably her best friend nowadays; she hadn't spoken to Polly since the incident at the office (not that she wanted to), so where was the harm in telling him.

"Alex and her parents." Is all she manages to get out before the man on the other end of the line erupts in triumphant laughter.

"Oh my fucking god, I knew it. You're whipped!" He teases.

"Fuck off." Piper is trying to hold her own laughter back. "Look, you bastard, can you bring it round here in about half an hour?"

"Sure thing, boss." The blonde smiles winningly as she hangs up, throwing her phone down and grabbing a few towels before padding towards the wash room.

* * *

"I still don't understand why someone we've never met is agreeing to let us stay in an apartment for free." Alex rolls her eyes and her mother's repetitive tone.

"Because, _mother_, she owns all the apartments anyway and she's doing it for me as a favour." Alex says through gritted teeth. Five days around nobody but her family was finally getting to her. She loved them, sure, but she could think of a few people she'd rather spend five days around; Satan, for example, or perhaps her beautiful girlfriend who she would finally be able to see in an hour's time. There would be no clichéd reunion of running into each other's arms, however; they'd agreed to tell Alex's parents about their relationship together over dinner on New Year's Eve. But once Piper dropped her parents off at the apartment block and they got back to Alex's...well, it's safe to say the brunette was excited by the prospects.

"If you say so." Her mother shrugged and Alex fought the urge to roll her eyes at the woman across the table in the small coffee shop in the train station.

"Piper's nice." Alex reiterated and her father snorted condescendingly.

"Not from what I've read."

"Well what you've read is _bullshit."_ The brunette spat angrily. Her parent's eyes widened at their daughter's sudden defensiveness.

"Alex! Language!" Her mother cried and Alex simply stood up from the table and excused herself to the toilet, tired of listening to her parents. She was so close to being in Piper's arms that anything and everything in her way was annoying the hell out of her. Splashing cool water onto her neck and hands, Alex took a deep breath and got her act together, brushing her tousled hair back and pursing her blood red lips in front of the mirror. _One hour, Vause. You can wait that long._

* * *

Piper waved her head of finances off after pressing a twenty into his hand for the cab fare and taking the keys to the car from him. An involuntary grin tugged at the corners of her mouth as she hopped into the white range rover. _I really need my own._ She thought, running a hand over the leather upholstery before sliding the keycard into the ignition. Piper was relived to say the least to be out of heels (a luxury she could not often afford) as she pulled into the road and began the scenic drive to the station. She was wearing a pair of tan, leather Chelsea boots instead, into which were tucked a skin tight pair of dark navy jeans. Piper wore a white, form fitting long sleeve t shirt (it was practically freezing in the city) underneath a pale blue denim jacket with a warm grey scarf around her neck. It was probably the most casual thing she'd worn out in public for years, but the outfit still probably cost more than some people's houses. She drummed her fingernails on the dashboard of the range rover in traffic, butterflies in her stomach. They were excited nerves, however; Piper couldn't wait to see Alex again, and she was keen to make a good first impression on her girlfriend's parents. Piper had enough confidence in her people skills to be unmoved by the supposedly daunting prospect, mostly she just wanted them to fuck off so she could have Alex all to herself. But, it was her idea, it was necessary. Piper was nothing if not smart; she knew Alex's parents deserved to meet the real her rather than what they'd inevitably read about her. It was frustrating, but she'd signed herself off to the burdens of being a kind of celebrity (at least in America) a long time ago, privacy was not a thing she expected. She wasn't stalked by fans or any of that, but she was talked about online and photographed when she made an appearance in public. Piper was New York's mystery; no one knew where she came from, yet at only twenty-four (although soon to be twenty-five), she was already richer than ninety percent of New York's population. People were intrigued by her; in interviews she was incredibly charming, she had a smile that could end wars, she was blonde tall, sexy, smart yet had no former dating history. People, simply for the fact they had nothing better to do, wanted to know _why._ But, after four years, the entire American public was still clueless. Well, apart from one raven haired beauty who was currently on her way home. The thought brought a smile to Piper's face and she contended herself with thinking about Alex (as she often did) for the rest of the journey. _Twenty minutes, Chapman. Relax._

* * *

_Two minutes, Vause. There's no point killing her when you're so close. _Alex's conscious reminded her as she attempted to drown out her mother's incessant monologue. She hopped out of the train carriage, iPod blaring in her ears and her leather jacket and bag in her hands. Alex paused, setting her bag down on a bench to slip the garment over her grey sweater before tying the laces of her combat boots, smoothing down her black jeans and standing straight once more. The brunette grinned, excitement coursing through her veins as she walked (basically ran) to the exit, desperate to see those piercing blue eyes and luscious blonde hair again. It didn't take her long; Alex was only through the sliding doors a few moments before she saw her, signing autographs beside a flashy white range rover. Piper looked up momentarily from the paper she was signing and locked eyes with her girlfriend. Her signature came out as nothing more than a squiggly line as she mumbled an apology to the young man before striding towards Alex and the two people accompanying her. The woman was in her mid-fifties, Piper decided, with dark hair and slightly greying roots, and the same deep green eyes as her daughter. Alex's father was tall, incredibly so, with a scruffy grey beard the same colour as his hair and inquisitive eyes. Piper greeted them first.

"Mr and Mrs Vause, a pleasure." She shook both their hands warmly, Alex watching her with a sly grin on her face.

"Miss Chapman." Alex's mother replied. She didn't tell Piper to call her by her first name, Diane, the blonde noticed.

"Please, call me Piper." She insisted, smiling widely at them before turning to her girlfriend who still had that cocky grin on her face. Piper hadn't really prepared for this; did she hug Alex or did that seem too friendly considering she was supposed to her boss? Did she shake her hand or was that too formal? "Alex." The blonde whispered, opting to open her arms invitingly to the taller girl. Screw the parents. Alex wraps her arms around Piper, perhaps too intimately, shielding her mouth from her parents using the smaller girl's head and leaning down to her ear.

"Piper Chapman." She husked, her hot breath and warm voice sending a shiver down Piper's spine. Alex grinned triumphantly as her girlfriend's hands tightened around the back of her neck before they pulled away, much too soon for either woman's liking. Piper narrowed her eyes before turning cheerily back to the couple beside them.

"Please." She said, gesturing to the range rover nearby. Alex raised a questioning eyebrow at the car, but Piper shook her head, a silent promise to explain later. As if they'd be wasting their time talking about fucking cars. Her father asked her instead and Piper explained she's just taken lend of it for the day. Placing their bags in the boot, Piper opened the rear doors for Alex's parents and the passenger door for the brunette. However, Alex's mother didn't seem to get the message as she clambered into the passenger side. Both Piper and Alex's eyes widened, before the brunette shrugged helplessly. Piper nodded confidently. _I'll handle it_, her expression said. The foursome fastened their seatbelts, the blonde fixing her hair in the rear-view mirror before throwing a sultry wink at her girlfriend when she caught her eye. Alex smiled crookedly, relaxing slightly as Piper began to chat idly with her parents. She marvelled at the blonde's ease; she seemed more comfortable with her parents than Alex did herself. Maybe they would take to the blonde after all.

* * *

"Well, if you have any problems, you know where to find me." Piper reiterated to the couple in the first floor apartment. "I'll just be leaving Alex home now, I'll see you on Saturday at eight?" She enquired.

"Of course, dear. Thank you again." Diane Vause smiled at the blonde in her doorway.

"No problem." Piper's voice hitched as Alex's fingers ran along the exposed skin on the small of her back, hidden from her parents' view. She smirked, bid goodbye to them and walked back out the door, Piper following. The door had barely closed before she had her girlfriend pinned against the opposite wall, hands fisted in her leather jacket and kissing her hard. It was a hot mess of a kiss; their teeth clashed and Piper bit her girlfriend's lip accidentally, but their tongues tangled desperately and both women moaned at the contact, the sexual tension having built up over the past half hour to unbearable levels. Alex's pulled the smaller girl's hair slightly, groaning when her hands slipped underneath her leather jacket and groped her breasts roughly over the material of her sweater. They continued to make out heavily against the wall until Alex broke the kiss when Piper's hands went to the button of her jeans.

"Not here." Alex whispered between kisses on her girlfriend's neck. They would never make it to the Alex's in this state, so Piper nodded and grabbed the brunette's hand, dragging her towards the elevator. Finally, she was going to show her girlfriend just how much she'd missed her.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Okay, I really struggled with Piper's speech to Alex's parents and their guests about their relationship; I'm not happy with it, so...sorry? Read and review my friends :-)

* * *

_2 days later_

The knock on her door reverberated throughout Piper's apartment, drawing her away from her cooking. Wiping her hands on a cloth and smoothing down her white dress, Piper walked briskly to the door, the sound of her heels echoing across the room. She pulled the door open, relaxing when it swung back to reveal her startlingly beautiful girlfriend. It had been a while since she'd seen Alex all dolled up, and Piper had missed it to say the least. She wore her hair pinned up, lips a shade darker than usual and green eyes dancing mischievously behind her thick framed glasses. Her dress was low cut, black, lace at the sides and came to her mid thigh, just the way Piper liked it. They were throwing a party after all. The blonde leaned in for a kiss but was met with the taller girl's cheek.

"Ah ah ah." She tsked, stepping into the apartment and closing the door. "Lipstick, Pipes." She raised her eyebrows momentarily before laughing at her girlfriend's sad expression. The blonde's lip jutted out as she stepped closer to Alex.

"Can I do this, then?" She trailed a long finger up the brunette's toned thigh slowly, studying her face.

"Nope." Alex chided, taking Piper's hand from her thigh and pressing a kiss to it before linking them together.

"I'll remember that, Vause." The blonde threatened lowly. "You've changed your tone from when you were begging me that night-" She's cut off by Alex lifting their hands and covering her mouth quickly.

"You agreed to never mention that again." She blushed profusely at the memory as well as getting a little turned on.

"Doesn't mean it didn't happen." Piper grinned smugly. "I would ask you to help with the cooking, but.." She shrugged, and Alex nodded understandingly.

"I know, I'm shit. Everything else in order?" She asked genuinely, rubbing her thumb over her girlfriend's knuckles calmingly.

"I hope so. Go take a look." Piper encouraged and Alex kissed her forehead sweetly, lips lingering for a moment before she let go of their hands and promised to be back momentarily. Piper watched her go off on her little adventure to the dining room, wondering if she perhaps should've drawn a map. The blonde chuckled and turned back to her chicken marinating in sauce; feeling much more relaxed than she did ten minutes ago.

* * *

Piper Chapman was not used to feeling nervous. She was not used to picking her words carefully before she spoke. She was not used to having her girlfriend rub her knee secretively underneath the table during dinner. It wasn't that she particularly cared what Alex's parents thought of her individually; she just wanted them to approve of her daughter's choice in women. Piper sat at the head of the table, Robert on her right and Alex on her left. At the other end was Alex's mother, no doubt judging Piper's every move. In between the blonde and Mrs Vause were most of Piper's important staff, as well as Nicky and Lorna. Polly Harper had not been invited, because she was simply irrelevant. The meal itself had passed without a hitch; all Piper's guests complimenting her culinary skills (even Alex's parents, surprisingly). But that was the easy part, the most difficult part was about to take place. Piper and Alex were unusually quiet after the meal, conversations washing over them for the most part. They were nervous to say the least; Alex's parents were about to find out their daughter was dating a millionaire, party animal woman for god sake. It wasn't that they were homophobic; they liked Nicky alright, but no one, not even Piper Chapman could predict how they'd react when it was their own flesh and blood coming out to them. It was time to find out, however, and face the music. Piper squeezed Alex's hand under the table, cleared her throat once, twice, then stood up abruptly and clinked her fork against her glass. The chatter died down as the guests turned to face their host, light from the chandelier bouncing off the diamante detailing on the shoulders of her dress.

"Ladies, gents." She began, before beginning a short speech, thanking her staff profusely for their outstanding contribution to her business throughout the year. It was a soliloquy many guests had heard a similar version of the year previously, but Alex listened intently to the blonde's smooth tones. Piper was an incredible speaker; she rarely tripped over words or stuttered, and she spoke with such a calm voice that if she were telling you how she was about to kill you painfully, you'd probably feel at ease. Piper finished her speech shortly before stopping, but she didn't sit down. She looked at the table cloth nervously. Looked at Alex. Smiled at Alex. Took a breath. Looked up.

"Um, there's one more thing." She began, her assurance from before lost slightly. Her guests leaned in as they noticed her change in demeanour. "As most of you know, at the end of November Alex started working for me, as my secretary, which she has done a sterling job of so far." Alex blushed at the compliment. "For the few days before Milan, Alex and I talked a lot, grew closer, got to know each other... professionally of course." Piper added on nervously at the end. Nicky was already shaking with laughter. "So, when I came home from Milan I realised what a horse's ass I'd been, to all of you, by the way." It was the closest her staff were going to get to an apology for her missing person act in Italy. "But, mostly to Alex." Piper glanced down at her girlfriend who nodded assuredly up at her. "I've apologised for that enough times, Alex will assure you. Soon after, then, Alex agreed to..." The brunette closed her eyes, heart thumping, unable to look at her parents' reaction. "Be my girlfriend. Stop the press, whatever, quit the gossiping that I know goes on in the staff room. I'm dating Alex, so...hands off." Piper laughed awkwardly, but was saved by Nicky erupting into raucous applause. The rest of the table followed suit and the blonde sagged with relief. The rest of the table _except Alex's parents_, of course. Alex groaned as she saw their shell shocked expressions, before standing and taking Piper's hand.

"Mom, Dad." Alex began. "I don't know how, or why I fell for Piper-" She's cut off by the blonde turning to her with an arched eyebrow. "Well, I do, actually, but let's not get into that." She blushed at the obvious innuendo and Piper smiled triumphantly beside her. "I don't expect you to understand, but this is my decision, I'm sticking with it, and whether you approve or not won't change my mind." Alex finished quietly, regarding her mother warily from across the table.

"So, you're a lesbian now?" She asks after a long moment.

"Jesus..." Piper whispers under her breath as Alex rolls her eyes.

"No, mom! I don't know, I'm not putting a label on myself." She cries exasperatedly.

"You don't know if you're a lesbian or not?" Her mother inquires. Alex feels her temper rise but Piper cuts her across her before she says something she'll regret.

"Diane. Can I call you that?" Piper asks.

"No." The woman replies.

"Diane it is then." Piper fires back without missing a beat. "Why does it matter if she's a lesbian? She is who she is, she's happy, is that not what counts?" The blonde tries to reason with the disgruntled woman.

"Look, Piper." She begins. "I don't expect you to understand our beliefs or where we come from-" Piper interjects harshly.

"You're from fucking New Jersey, it's hardly Bora Bora." She hisses, as she hears Lorna ask Nicky what happened to the third Bora.

"Let me finish. Alex may think she's fallen for you, but really she's fallen for your house, your money, your cars, not you, dear." Piper is about to reply before Alex steps in.

"Don't tell me what I know, mom. It's not her money, for fuck sake. I-" Alex doesn't know how to continue without saying _I love her,_ so she trails off. She does love Piper, absolutely, but it doesn't feel like the right time to say it. Luckily, her best friend steps in.

"Look, Diane. As much as it makes me feel sick to my stomach when I look at them, these two are so fuckin' in love it hurts. They look at each other with these dopey expressions on their faces that make me want to hurl, and while they clearly haven't admitted it to each other, they're absolutely in love. Leave them be." Nicky pleads with the woman she's known for most of her life while Piper and Alex blush at the head of the table.

"I believe we've outstayed our welcome." Alex's father decides from the seat beside Diane. It's the first thing he's said since his daughter's confession.

"Dad." Alex says listlessly, but there's no conviction behind it. She just wants them to go.

"Darling, your mother and I don't love you any less." He explains as he approaches the top of the table. "We just need some time to process." Alex nods understandingly as her father kisses her on the cheek. "Thank you for the meal, Miss Chapman." He says to the blonde beside her who still looks like she wants to shank someone.

"A pleasure." She says venomously, shaking his hand with a look of mild disgust directed in his wife's direction. Diane Vause plasters a fake smile on her face and nods at the two women. Piper assumes they can find their own way out, so she simply pulls open the heavy oak door and allows them to leave before pushing it shut behind them and leaning against it momentarily. She turns to her shell shocked guests, striding back over to her girlfriend who stands at the head of the table confidently. Frankly, she couldn't give a damn at this moment in time what her mother thinks of her relationship. Piper wraps her right arm around the brunette's slim shoulders and rests her fingertips on Alex's side, pressing against her rather provocatively. Her girlfriend slips a strong arm tightly around Piper's waist and they look at each other lustfully for a moment, eyes glinting before Piper turns to her guests like something straight out an A-list movie. The next line is vintage Hollywood, and Piper delivers it with a winning smile.

"Let's get this fucking party started."

* * *

"You throw a good party, Chapman." Nicky declares rather drunkenly from the doorway at the end of the night. It's about three in the morning, the party having gone on for about four hours.

"Thank you kindly, Nicky." Piper replies, smiling at the shorter girl and Lorna. They're a couple now too, apparently.

"Remember to keep it down, ladies. Wouldn't want mommy and daddy to hear." Nicky slurs at the couple in the doorway who chuckle quietly.

"Nichols, we're six floors above them." Alex states, amused at her friend's drunkenness.

"Yeah, but I heard you guys last night from outside." Alex blushes crimson while Piper smirks crookedly, fondly remembering the noises coming from her girlfriend.

"Goodnight, Nicky, Lorna." Alex squeaks before shutting the door abruptly. She hears Nicky's hoarse laugh come filter through as well as a "Goodnight, not-lesbians!" Before their footsteps fade away. Piper walks to the middle of the room, both her and Alex's heels discarded somewhere within the depths of the apartment. Alex follows close behind until Piper stops abruptly.

"How about that kiss?" Piper enquires, taking Alex's glasses off and setting them on the fire place. Quiet music comes from the speakers in the ceiling as Alex trails her fingers under the blonde's chin tenderly before tilting her head slightly and bringing their lips together sweetly. It's more slow and deliberate than any of their previous kisses, Piper's hands resting innocently on Alex's hips as the brunette cups her cheek, tracing Piper's bottom lip slowly with her tongue. They don't rush; the pair simply stand in front of the fire casting a warm glow over them, tasting each other's lips, tongues, mouths, basking in their love for each other. Alex's hand snake around Piper's neck, their lips still touching gingerly, as if it was the first time they'd kissed. Something has shifted, in their relationship. It's real now; they've let others in on their dirty little secret and now they have to face up to whatever trials and tribulations come their way. Their tender kiss conveys the silent promise that no matter what happens, they will still love and trust each other through all the crap that life throws at them. It's a hopeful kiss; hope the only thing stronger than fear. It's a kiss that speaks a thousand words without saying anything at all, perhaps the best way to describe their relationship. The kiss breaks mutually, both women with a happy flush in their cheeks. Alex's hands are still around Piper's neck and the blonde's are still on her girlfriend's hips. Neither of them remember how it starts, but eventually they're swaying slightly to the song playing out quietly above them, gazing adoringly at each other. Alex strains to hear the lyrics before Piper begins to hum the words.

"_I'd leave it all, my acres of a land, I have achieved. It may be hard for you to, s top and believe, but for you, oh you, I'd leave it all." _She sings quietly, smiling shyly as the pair continue moving from side to side slowly. Alex rests her chin on Piper's head, holding her tightly.

"_Give me one good reason why I should never make a change. And baby if you hold me, then all of this will go away." _The blonde continues into Alex's chest, placing a chaste kiss on her collarbone. Alex takes one of Piper's hands from her waist, holding it in her one high above their heads as the blonde twirls gracefully before coming to rest against her girlfriend's chest again, giggling quietly.

_My friends and family, they don't understand._

_They fear they'll lose so much, if you take my hand_

_But, for you, ooh, you, ooh, I'd lose it all_

The song continues, but Piper's singing has paused for the moment as the pair sway silently, listening to the lyrics. Piper reaches into Alex's hair and unpins it, the taller girl's raven locks cascading over them and the smell of her coconut shampoo filling the air. The music fades, but neither of them mind, Piper twirling again as Alex smiles that wide, full grin she sports so rarely.

"It's true, you know." Is all Piper says, gazing into her lover's green eyes, enjoying how young she looks without her glasses; innocent, pure. _Good. _Alex Vause is _good. _

"I know." Alex assures her, referring to the lyrics in the song. Piper is not pure, nor innocent. She's good, but in a different way. She's gone through a lot of shit in her life to come to this point, she deserves to be happy. Piper Chapman is _deserving._

"Alex?" Piper questions after a comfortable silence, as if Alex has suddenly gone off somewhere despite her tight hold on her girlfriend.

"Yeah?" Alex is relaxed, she knows what's coming, but it'll be nice to hear it for real instead of them having to awkwardly choke it back like they've been doing for the past few days. She runs her fingers along Piper's neck soothingly.

"Nothing." Piper changes her tone suddenly, smiling smugly up at Alex whose eyes widen.

"Don't you dare!" Alex cries out, pouting at her girlfriend.

"You say it." Piper urges, giggling.

"Fine." Alex clears her throat before dropping to one knee dramatically and taking Piper's hand.

"What the fuck?!" Piper cries, free hand coming to her mouth and eyebrows nearly flying off her head. _That backfired._ Alex erupts into laughter, shoulders shaking and tears forming.

"Oh my fucking god, your face!" The brunette manages to get out between fits of giggles. Piper sighs, relieved to say the least. She blushes before furrowing her brows.

"Fuck you!" She tries to pull her hand from Alex's grip but the brunette simply tugs her hand strongly, sending Piper sprawling on top of her, pinning the taller girl to the ground.

"Fuck me." Alex agrees, running her hands up Piper's sides teasingly. Her hands move quicker however, and soon she's tickling the blonde into submission, rolling the smaller girl over onto the ground and running her hands over Piper's stomach.

"Stop! Alex!" Piper whines, gasping for breath while Alex laughs triumphantly.

"Say it." Alex says plainly.

"Mercy! Oh fuck, Al, mercy!" She cries, as her girlfriend continues to tickle the life out of her.

"You know that's not what I meant." Alex husks, her face inches from Piper's as the blonde squirms helplessly beneath her.

"Oh, fuck this, I love you, Alex! I love you, I love you, please-" She's cut off by the brunette's lips on hers, kissing her passionately, her hands stilling on her stomach. Alex's tongue slips effortlessly into her girlfriend's mouth, hands trailing towards the hem of Piper's dress. The blonde breaks the kiss as Alex runs a finger over her through the material of her panties, moaning loudly.

"I love you too." Is all she says before their lips meet again and they begin to get lost in each other once more, illuminated by the flames of the roaring fire beside them, sparks dancing between the two bodies long into the night.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I don't even care, I thought this ending was cute.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: This chapter was inspired by the absolute joke of an awards ceremony/robbery that I watched last night. Enjoy, because I'm still pissed off at OITNB losing everything. Fucking fix...

* * *

Waking up on the floor of her living room was certainly not a first time experience for Piper Chapman. What _was_ a first time experience however was waking up on the floor, naked, underneath a blanket, beside her girlfriend, her legs tangled with the brunette's and strong, pale arms wrapped around her. It probably should have been uncomfortable, but then Alex was quite a soft pillow to say the least. Piper blinked herself awake for a moment before shifting her weight on top of her snoring girlfriend, straddling her thighs. Alex didn't budge. The blonde laughed quietly before running her index finger down the valley between Alex's breasts slowly...nothing doing. Piper narrowed her eyes and braced her hands on either side of the brunette's lithe frame, taking her weight on them so she could lean down and place a kiss to Alex's toned stomach. The snoring continued, so the blonde peppered hot, open mouthed kisses to the area there before moving up to her girlfriend's sternum. Piper took all her weight on her left arm, silently thanking the fact she did so many push ups, and moved her right hand to Alex's breast, lazily tugging at her nipple while kissing and licking the space between each breast. The snoring had certainly stopped now, and Piper smirked to herself as she heard Alex's breath hitch. Continuing her ministrations for a moment, Piper then moved to Alex's pulse point and bit down lightly as the girl below her moved a hand into her blonde locks silently. Piper grinned, running her tongue over the mark on her girlfriend's neck before finally coming face to face with her. The brunette was dazed to say the least, a dreamy smile playing on her mouth as she stroked Piper's hair back from her face.

"I've woken up on New Year's Day in a few weird situations over the years, but this is definitely the most surreal." Alex told her girlfriend, voice thick with sleep. The blonde glowed happily, kissing Alex sweetly on the lips momentarily.

"Do you think the first words you say to me upon waking up will _ever _be simply 'good morning, baby'?" Piper asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Pipes, if you and I were looking for simple do you really think we'd be here?" Alex countered, squinting her eyes slightly to make out the older girl without her glasses.

"Simplicity is the essence of sophistication, Al." Piper raised her chin, as if to give off a cultured, refined air.

"Oh, Jesus..." Alex rolled her eyes. "Piper, the noises you were making last night were about as far from sophisticated as you could get." The blonde gasped from her position above Alex before glaring at her girlfriend.

"Watch it, Vause, or I'll have you in pieces in five minutes flat."

"Didn't take me that long last night." The brunette fired back, smirking at the flustered girl above her.

"Fuck you." was all Piper had to offer, speechless as to how Alex had so easily turned her sly comment back on her. She really had met her match in the taller girl.

"Happy New Year, baby." Alex husked before tugging Piper's hair, their bodies coming flush together and lips meeting softly, the blonde's tension dissipating immediately as Alex's long fingers combed soothingly through her hair. _Fuck Alex Vause and her perfect lips and talented fingers and incredible aura for making me soft, _Piper thinks as she moulds herself against the brunette. _But fuck me, first._

* * *

"Okay, Mom. I get it!" Piper is roused from her slumber by her girlfriend's raised tones coming from somewhere in the apartment. Her parents were due to leave today, but Alex had refused to speak to them all day yesterday, instead spending New Year's Day on the sofa with Piper watching movies from the 90s (by watching movies they meant fucking on every available surface in the living area while a film played quietly in the background). Judging by the voices floating in through the bedroom door, Alex was sure as hell speaking to them now. Piper stretched her aching muscles (not that she'd tell Alex that) and pulled her black robe over her, tying it as she slipped into the open area of her home. Her girlfriend stood in the doorway, arms folded and back to Piper, clad in black shorts and a grey oversized t shirt. Alex's mother and father were at the door, looking pleadingly at their daughter. Piper rolled her eyes, not looking forward to this. She strode confidently towards the family, silk robe loosely tied and anger flaring in her eyes.

"Everything alright?" Piper asked Alex, rubbing her shoulders soothingly as Alex unfolded her arms and slipped her left one around the blonde's waist as she so often did.

"They were just leaving." Alex seethed, glaring at her mother.

"Alex, darling-" The woman began before Alex cut her off.

"I said I get it! You don't want me to be with her, you think it will reflect badly on our family, whatever. I'm an adult, Mom, I can make my own decisions!" Alex's voice was accusing, cutting, _hateful._

"What about your art, hunnie? Have you got it into any galleries yet? When was the last time you drew something-" Alex's mother reasoned before Piper stepped in.

"Mrs Vause, I can assure you that I will have your daughter's work in galleries across the world by the end of the month. Tell her the real reason why you don't approve of her choice in women."

"Look, Piper, it's nothing personal." Diane stated. Piper rolled her eyes, as if she gave a fuck what the woman thought of her.

"For fuck sake!" Alex exclaimed. "Dad, please talk to her?" The brunette was getting upset with this whole thing, she wanted Piper, but she wasn't sure if she was prepared to lose her family over her.

"I will. If it's worth anything, I think you look great together." Alex's father nodded and the two women smiled bashfully. His wife rolled her eyes, before picking up her bag abruptly.

"It appears we've reached an impasse." She reasoned and Piper snorted condescendingly.

"No, you're just a narrow minded cu-" Alex threw her hand quickly over the blonde's mouth before her mother could hear what she was saying.

"It would appear so." The brunette concurred. "Look, Mom, I hope you come around eventually because..." She hesitated slightly before continuing. "Piper and I are in love, and there's really not a damn thing anyone can do about it. If we break up, it'll be our shit to deal with, nothing to do with you. Have a safe trip home." She finished, and her father nodded sadly, hoisting up his bag and tugging his angry wife away from the scene. Alex shut the door firmly before pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing despondently.

"Fuck." She whispered to herself.

"Already? If you insist." It probably wasn't the most comforting thing she could've said, but Piper didn't really know how to deal with a sad girlfriend.

"Not helping." Alex muttered, her eyes still shut.

"I know." Piper said quietly. She massaged Alex's shoulders softly, leaning her head against her back. "They'll come around. It'll be okay, baby." Piper tried to convince herself and her girlfriend with the statement.

"Will it?" Came Alex's voice, tired, broken. It was heartbreaking to see the brunette in this state, and Piper willed herself not to get into a whole state over it; she knew it would be hard.

"I swear on my life, Alex that I will do everything I can to get your mother back on your side." It was an empty promise, a blatant lie to herself, but it was all Piper could give to the dejected girl in front of her.

"Thank you." Alex turned into Piper's warm embrace, nuzzling into her hair and inhaling the blonde's citrusy shampoo.

"Now, come on, tonight's a big night for you." Piper encouraged, running her hands down Alex's arm to relax her. It was a big night for her, too; the _Glamour Women of the Year _awards were tonight, and if Piper were to win, it would fucking _finally_ give her the sort of recognition she craved. It's not that she needed the prize money (a cool two million wouldn't go amiss, however), Piper just really hated losing. She'd worked her ass off for four years, proving that actually women can be just as, if not more successful, as men when it comes to business. If she were to lose to some yuppie actress or singer, a hell of a lot of shit would go down. But, for Alex, this was the first time she'd be under the spotlight. God knows as soon as the press got a whiff of Piper arriving with a hot brunette on her arm, they'd be on said brunette like a flash. Piper Chapman finally dating someone was front page news to say the least.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about making my grand entrance into the celebrity world." Alex didn't exactly look excited.

"C'mon, babe, it's great!" Piper beamed. "If you're lucky, they'll open up a lesbian gossip forum about you, become obsessed with you and put labels on you without knowing a damn thing about you. It was a real career highlight for me." The blonde quipped, her tone laced with sarcasm and Alex found herself grinning.

"I can't wait." She drawled, and Piper felt relief wash over her. There was her Alex, the sarcastic, huskily-voiced, charming character she'd fallen in love with.

"I love you." The words fell effortlessly from her mouth; Piper would never, ever get tired of telling Alex she loved her.

"I love you too." Alex smiled genuinely, moving her glasses onto her forehead as Piper pressed their lips together softly. The pair kissed chastely for a moment, before (as per usual) the blonde wanted more, breaking the kiss and tugging Alex back towards the bedroom.

"Is there time?" Alex questioned honestly as the pair half sprinted across the room; there was still about six hours before the red carpet was due to begin, but Piper was never one to rush getting ready.

"I'll always have time for you, baby." Piper spoke in an exaggeratedly deep voice, throwing a sultry wink over her shoulder. Alex rolled her eyes at the pitiful attempt of being sexy; but it was pretty fucking cute. Alex could think of a few things worse than Piper Chapman having time for her.

* * *

"I told you we didn't have time." Alex mused from across the car at her girlfriend. Piper shrugged, smirking at the brunette.

"Are you regretting it? Didn't sound like it at the time?" Piper tilted her head, eyeing the brunette in the leather seat beside her.

"It was a decent way to pass the afternoon, I guess." Alex pursed her lips and Piper raised her eyebrows before smirking to herself. Alex would probably have to be on her deathbed before she complimented Piper's sexual prowess again like she had in the office that day. The sleek, black Mercedes stole through the dimly lit New York roads to the Hamptons, the rip roaring party of the year minutes away.

"Nervous?" Alex questioned the blonde holding her hand across the middle of the backseat.

"You should be." Piper returned, raising her eyebrows slyly. Alex's eyes flashed in the darkness, clearer now that she'd decided to wear contacts. Piper had argued with her over that, saying the glasses were her _thing,_ but Alex had scoffed at the notion of anyone wearing a pair of fucking glasses to a red carpet.

"Will I have to tell the press what a doting, wonderful girlfriend you are?" She enquired, tapping her finger on the sparkling silver earrings Piper had got her for Christmas. Alex didn't even want to know how much they'd cost.

"I'm sure they'd lap it up. Just say what you think, be yourself while not revealing anything." Piper informed her, repeating what she told herself every time she went to these sort of events.

"Got it, boss." Alex grinned over at the blonde reassuringly and squeezed her hand. A comfortable silence enveloped them before the journey came to an end. Flash bulbs illuminated the car in patches as it rounded the corner, the familiar hum of New York replaced by legions of screaming fans as they wondered who would be the next to take to the carpet. A feeling of nerves crept through Alex; was this all real? Was she actually going to be slightly famous when she woke up tomorrow? _Could she google herself?_ A stream of questions flowed through her mind as the car pulled to a stop. Piper leaned over, kissed Alex on the cheek and nodded.

"You can do this. I'll be with you." She said seriously, looking at Alex warily, her smoky eye makeup drawing out the sparkling blue of her irises.

"I know." Alex replied in kind before Piper's door was opened by her driver, the sound of the red carpet filtering into the car interior. The blonde smiled genuinely at Alex before plastering on the smile that others saw; a wide, crooked grin and a quite frankly stuck up expression on her face. It was necessary, Piper had explained one day. Being perceived as weak meant she already was, and Piper was not interested in being known as the girl-next-door type; she was tall, sexy, blonde, rich and powerful, and didn't she know it.

Piper stepped from the car gracefully, letting go of Alex's hand momentarily only for her fingers to reappear at the car door, a silent beckoning to the brunette. She took a deep breath before clasping Piper's hand gratefully, pulling herself out of the car as the blonde entwined their fingers. Everyone behind the railings, at the top of the steps, even the cars behind seemed to freeze. A collective gasp echoed from the carpet; _holy fucking shit, Piper Chapman brought a girl._ And then, suddenly before the couple's eyes, a frenzy began. Flashes from cameras blinded them, Piper's name was screamed from every corner of the street, by fans and paparazzi alike, and a flurry of "who the fuck is that?" came from more than one person. Piper looked at Alex, who looked back at her surprised. The blonde simply shrugged.

"Welcome to Hollywood, Alex Vause." She grinned, before walking slightly ahead of Alex, leading her by the hand as she so often did. The train of Piper's dress was gathered in her other hand; nude coloured but shimmering in a haphazard pattern across the whole material. It was slim fitting, showing off her toned frame and bare arms (apart from the silver jewellery on her wrist). Her blonde hair was pulled back into a fancy bun low on her neck and her bangs swept across at the front, covering her forehead. Alex, meanwhile, wore a strapless, slightly looser fitting red dress with not much of a train, a smattering of silver underneath her bust and a slit up the right hand side. Her shock of raven hair hung loosely curled, flowing over her shoulders. Her lips were a traditionally red shade and her eye makeup was toned down. They looked like the hottest lesbian couple to come out of Hollywood since..well, ever. They weren't cute; Alex and Piper were sexy, badass, and almost intimidating to lesser people. The couple walked up the steps, hand in hand as the paparazzi were split, allowing them through. Piper waved, lapping up the attention, and Alex did what she was supposed to and followed her lead with a slightly less cocky smirk on her face. She didn't want to come across too smug that she was the girl who'd finally captured the ice-cold heart of Piper Chapman. Piper signed autographs quickly, posed for selfies, before the pair moved through the fan area and onto the actual red carpet. It was a sprawling area, a square carpet ran around a vast building in the centre where the awards were held, and the photographers lined the square on the opposite side of the wall of a building. There must have been thousands of them.

"Okay, so we just stand here and look pretty before walking around the square _really_ slowly." Piper explained over the snapping of cameras in their direction. "The other parts of the carpet are better; interviews and other people and stuff. But here, I have to walk ahead of you." She let go of Alex's hand as the brunette nodded understandingly and strode ahead of her, left hand on her hip and right hand waving at the cameras. It was slow, deliberate and calculated; everyone wanted a photo of her. She stopped a quarter of the way up the carpet, Alex watching her amusedly from the side as the blonde posed, a smug pout on her lips and eyebrows drawn in slightly. No, Piper Chapman was not cute or adorable, she was sultry, alluring and just gave off that 'don't fuck with me vibe' with the look on her face and the way she angled her body, accentuating her ass and chest. Red carpet walking really was an art from. Piper got about halfway before she turned, beckoning Alex towards her with a finger. The brunette raised her eyebrows, surprised, but strode as confidently as she could towards her girlfriend. She laughed, bright and genuinely as Piper mock-bowed from up ahead, bending over and extending her arms in front of her as Alex came towards her. The press _loved _it, cameras going off at a mile a minute when the brunette in the stunning red dressed slung an arm around Piper's waist and one on her own hip and turned her body slightly inwards, lips drawn in a line but a smirk playing on her lips as the photographers lapped them up. Piper stood in a similar fashion to her girlfriend as Alex leaned down to her ear.

"What happened to walking ahead?" She whispered before standing up again, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at the slightly smaller girl.

"Hmm, I think the internet deserves a few good quality pictures to send them into meltdown, don't you?" Piper replied. The pair looked at each other momentarily, before a wide grin broke out on both their faces and they began to laugh.

"That is absurd." Alex got out between giggles, both women turning back to the photographers with genuine, teeth-baring smiles on their faces.

"I know." Piper nodded, laughing again. The pair spoke in hushed tones as they made it about half way around the carpet before slipping into a much larger crowd, familiar faces dotted in a sea of unfamiliar ones. "Oh, there she is. Ready to go deliver our news to the world?" Piper asked suddenly, pointing to a small blonde woman win a microphone and camera in front of her at the top of a small flight of steps.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Alex assured her, allowing Piper to lead her through the crowd and up the steps where Piper let go of her hand and tapped the blonde on the shoulder, greeting her with a squeal, hug and a word that must have been her name. An unfamiliar feeling shot through Alex as she observed the embrace...was that _jealousy?!_

"Are we live?" Piper asked sweetly when they pulled away. Alex immediately grabbed her hand again; it was ridiculous to be jealous of Piper and her friend, but the brunette really couldn't control herself when it came to her girlfriend. They were far from simple, after all.

"Sure we are, Piper. I love your dress by the way!" She gushed, and Piper smiled but didn't return the compliment. "And who's this?" The presenter turned her attention to Alex.

"My name is Alex. Alex Vause." She replied smoothly, shaking the slightly dismayed girl's hand with her one that wasn't linked with Piper.

"Oh, nice to meet you Alex. How do you know Piper?" It was an awkward question of ask live on air, but the viewers would clearly be utterly perplexed by the stunning woman holding Piper's hand.

"She's my girlfriend." The brunette grinned involuntarily as the term slipped from her mouth and Piper squeezed her hand before smiling up at her.

"No way. Piper Chapman has a girlfriend?! Are you getting this?" The presenter screamed at the shocked cameraman who nodded vehemently. "You just got me an exclusive_, thank you!" _She whispered quickly to Alex before straightening up. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you." The couple said in unison, chuckling at their jinx. The interviewer asked Piper a boat load of questions, like when they started dating and how they knew each other. Her final one, however, caught them both off guard.

"So, Piper, do tell us. We all know what you're like." She nudged the confused blonde suggestively. "Is this another one of your flings or is Alex here the real deal? I mean, we've seen you with _loads _of girls before but you never brought one to an event!" The presenter encouraged. Alex stiffened. Piper clenched her jaw.

"There's your answer." Piper said coolly after a moment. She wasn't about to go public with every minute detail of her relationship; Alex knew Piper loved her, and everyone else could quite frankly go to hell. The presenter grinned while the brunette relaxed, running a thumb over Alex's knuckles. The interview finished up and the threesome bid their goodbyes, Piper and Alex walking down the steps before the blonde's phone buzzed from her clutch.

"Hello?" She enquired, furrowing her brows at Alex. "Oh for fuck sake, Nicky?!" She cried and Alex's eyes widened. "How did you get my number?! I-" Piper was cut off by whatever Alex's best friend was saying. The smaller girl groaned and rolled her eyes. "Okay, Nichols. Yes, it's fucking _adorable_. Bye now!" She hung up abruptly and Alex raised her eyebrows incredulously.

"Yep, so we basically broke the internet." The pair laughed at the revelation, imagining the scenes going on, on Twitter and the like. "Oh, and they've already got a 'ship name' for us, whatever the fuck that is."

"What?" Alex was laughing already.

"Oh, God, it's awful. Like, so terrible." Piper couldn't even say it she was so embarrassed. Alex pleaded with her silently, a wide grin plastered on her face as she gazed intently at the blonde, ignorant to the many pairs of eyes watching them. "_Vauseman." _Piper whispered, closing her eyes and cringing desperately. Alex meanwhile had her head thrown back, laughter wracking her body. Fucking hell, that was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. The pair roared with laughter for quite some time before becoming aware of everyone looking at them.

"Jesus fucking Christ." Was all Alex said, the blonde nodding her agreement as the pair walked, smiles adorning their faces as the crowds watched on.

* * *

Alex was no stranger to feeling quite angry at award shows. Having watched the Emmys for the last sixteen years of her life, she was well accustomed to being royally pissed off at the daylight robberies that occurred every year at the ceremony. But as Piper sighed quietly in the seat beside her, softly applauding whatever undeserving bitch was collecting the award that should have been hers, Alex Vause was seething. She didn't have a clue who won or how much they paid to obviously fix the winners, but a shocked atmosphere filled the room as a name other than "Piper Chapman" was read by the presenter. After everything the blonde had done, everyone she'd proved wrong, they'd given the award to some little smug bitch who wrote songs for a living. In what fucking world was that more deserving of an award than a woman who'd come from literally nothing, to one of the most decorated businesswomen in the world.

"Wow. Fuck that." Alex whispered harshly. "I'm sorry, Pipes." The blonde shrugged, looking up at Alex with masked sadness in her eyes.

"It's okay. I'm not even mad; I don't need some irrelevant old men voting to tell me I'm good at what I do." She offered, but Alex's expression didn't soften.

"No, of course not. But still, it's the whole principle of it." The brunette folded her arms, sighing exasperatedly as the silly bitch on the stage continued to drone on and on about how much of an honour it was to win. Suddenly, a thought crossed Alex's mind. She leaned over to Piper inconspicuously.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" She enquired in a low voice. Piper shivered before answering.

"I thought you'd never ask." She growled, allowing Alex to take her hand and lead her from the isle, ignoring the irritated looks from members of the audience for disturbing their viewing. The pair all but ran up the steps, taking them two at a time before bursting out in the foyer. Alex saw a sign for toilets, so she led Piper quickly in the direction of them, their heels clicking loudly on the marble floor and Piper struggling not to trip on her dress as they reached a few individual bathrooms. The one they chose was totally empty, thankfully, and the door was barely locked before Alex's lips were on Piper's, shoving her against the small sink and counter. The kiss was hungry, passionate, Alex's hands already on Piper's chest as the blonde hopped onto the sink, moaning into her girlfriend's mouth when her tongue slipped into Piper's mouth and she bit down on Alex's lip ever so slightly. Their tongues wrangled desperately, Alex groping the blonde roughly over the flimsy material of her dress. Their oxygen supply was dwindling, so Alex moved her lips to the smaller girl's neck, kissing and biting lightly.

"No, fuck Alex. Don't leave any marks!" Piper gasped, arching her body off the sink.

"Take that fucking dress off." The brunette mumbled against her girlfriend's neck, clueless as to how to get it off.

"There's a zip, for fuck sake." Piper moved a hand from Alex's hair and grappled with the awkward side zip.

"Of course there is." Alex replied sheepishly as she stopped kissing Piper for the moment and pulled the zip down, careful not to rip anything despite how much she wanted to. Placing it to the side, Alex grinned devilishly as she took in Piper's mostly naked form.

"Thank God you didn't have to wear a bra." She mused, before fiercely kissing the blonde and taking a nipple between her thumb and forefinger, tugging and pulling as Piper arched into her hand.

"There's no time, Alex, fuck me, please." Piper hated how the brunette always reduced her into a wanton, begging mess with her touch; it bruised her ego but she was simply _desperate_ for the other girl. Alex, for once, nodded and stopped taking it slow, slipping the blonde's panties off and setting them over her dress before returning her hand to Piper's core, the smaller girl wrapping her toned legs around Alex's waist and trying to create any kind of friction between them.

"You are fucking soaked." Alex bit her lip to keep from moaning at the sensation, Piper pulling her hair towards her face and crashing their lips together heatedly once more.

"Please." She gasped between kisses, grinding her hips against Alex's teasing fingers. She succumbed eventually, slipping two long digits into Piper's aching centre as the blonde cried out loudly. Alex hushed her, wary that anyone could knock on the door. Her fingers moved with a familiar motion, entering the blonde at pace and curling ever so slightly against her walls. Piper was trying to be quiet, despite what it sounded like as a series of curses fell from her lips. Alex's free hand was braced against the sink, so she used her lips to quiet the girl below her, her tongue entering Piper's mouth with no problem and swallowing her moans. Alex introduced a third finger, fucking her girlfriend relentlessly as the older girl ran her well manicured nails down the brunette's bare skin at the top of her back, ignoring how she could probably leave a mark. Alex's fingers curled deliciously inside her, thumb roughly circling her sensitive clit as she hit that magical spot inside Piper. It was messy, probably unsanitary, rough, but Piper craved release as Alex's lips moved to her collar bones, licking and sucking, not caring who heard the blonde's moans. Listening to Piper come undone was probably the best thing about fucking her.

"C'mon, babe, I want you to come." Alex commanded, raising her face to in front of Piper's and staring at her lustfully through hooded eyes. Piper couldn't look away, rocking her hips against the brunette's hand and screaming her name as her orgasm ripped through her, igniting every nerve ending in her body and curling her toes involuntarily. Her back and hips arched off the counter as she came, Alex smirking as she took in the blonde's writhing form beneath her. Piper struggled to get her breathing under control and her chest heaved, Alex watching her amusedly.

"What?" She gasped.

"I just fucking love watching you come." Alex shrugged before taking her fingers out of Piper's dripping core. Slowly and deliberately, she took each finger into her mouth individually and tasted the blonde on them, moaning at the taste, looking at Piper all the while. She was biting her lip almost hard enough to draw blood as she watched Alex's eyes darken at the taste.

"You know what?" Piper cried suddenly and Alex took her fingers out of her mouth and raised an eyebrow. "Fuck this ceremony, fuck the after party, take me home." She commanded, and Alex grinned slyly. Handing Piper her clothes, she repeated Piper's words from earlier in a husky voice.

"I thought you'd never ask."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: So, this story is going to start covering a bigger time frame from here on out. There's only going to be a few more chapters of fluff before the inevitable twist, so, you know, prepare yourselves. Also, this chapter is kind of setting up for the next one. Read and review please, it inspires me to write quicker :)

* * *

Alex Vause was not a notoriously sexual person in her teenage days. Yes, the brunette had sex, went to parties, had boyfriends. It would be unfair to describe her as prude; she needed more than two hands to count the number of guys she could remember sleeping with. But Alex was not the kind of person who craved another person's touch desperately and sex did not take up much of her thoughts. And yet, here she was, two and a half months into her relationship with Piper and she couldn't get enough of the blonde. Currently the pair lay naked on their backs, chests heaving and a thin sheen of sweat covering each of their bodies, Piper's hair sticking to her forehead as she combed her fingers through Alex's raven locks slowly. It was borderline excessive, the amount of fucking they did.

"Jesus..." Alex gasped quietly, still breathing heavily. For once, Piper didn't mock her.

"Is right." She agreed, pushing her own sticky hair away from her face with her free hand. It was about half two on a freezing cold February morning, the pair having returned a short while ago from Piper's birthday celebrations in Manhattan. It had been wild; paparazzi trying to crash the party on numerous occasions. To say Alex Vause and Piper Chapman had exploded onto the scene was an understatement to say the least. The public couldn't get enough of the tall, bespectacled brunette who'd came from nowhere, with no fame or particular wealth but somehow managed to make the usually impenetrable businesswoman into an actual human being with feelings. They went crazy every time a picture surfaced of Piper gazing like a lovesick puppy at Alex, and the couple were often sought after for interviews and magazine covers. They could go out in public, no problem, but when the press had caught wind of an extravagant, glitzy party going down in one of the cities' biggest clubs, a swarm of cameras and journalists had descended upon the blonde and her guests. It caused quite a stir, bouncers outside the club facing a tough job to keep them at bay, but finally the party could really get started. It was fun, sure, but Alex would have much preferred a candlelit rooftop dinner alone with her girlfriend rather than watching sulkily from the bar for most of the night as Piper was suffocated by fake friends and eager artists, treating her birthday bash as a marketing opportunity. Eventually, however, the blonde's patience snapped.

"Okay, you know what?!" She had yelled when yet another over-eager seller had approached her nervously. "I didn't come here to buy fucking _artwork_, I came here to have fun with my beautiful girlfriend whom I fucking love to pieces." She snarled, standing from her seat on the sofa and striding briskly to Alex at the bar, tight navy dress accentuating her toned body and showing off her runner's legs as she walked. The brunette looked at her amusedly from behind her glasses as the older girl linked their arms tightly. "So, to be frank," Piper continued. "You can all either get drunk with us, of fuck off _please." _She turned finally to the bartender who'd been keeping Alex company for the past hour while the blonde was harassed by her guests. "And as for you, this is _my_ girl, so I suggest you get back to your fucking job and leave her alone." Piper narrowed her eyes and leaned her hands on the bar, silently daring the man to challenge her. Of course he fucking didn't; he raised his hands skywards and walked (half-ran) somewhere into the back of the bar. Piper nodded triumphantly as her guests turned sheepishly back to their drinks, sipping quicker than before Piper's little rant. Alex grinned cockily at the ravishing blonde beside her.

"You have such a way with words, kid." She mused sarcastically, taking a sip from her cocktail and peering at her girlfriend over the rim of her glass. Piper rolled her eyes, but her temper was quickly evaporating.

"I'm sorry." Piper shrugs genuinely. Not sorry for losing her temper, but sorry that she hasn't been with Alex all night. The brunette nods understandingly; she gets it, she knows Piper has to deal with a lot when it comes to work. It's probably the first time she's ever apologised for basically doing her job, but Piper realises things will have to change if she wants to be with Alex; her first, work second. She could do that, right?

"It's okay." Alex whispered, brushing the blonde's curls back from her face sweetly before grabbing her by the hand to the dancefloor, thumping bass in their ears, adoration and lust in their eyes as they began they began to celebrate Piper's birthday properly.

And so began an infuriating, teasing display in the club of feathered touches on bare skin and light kisses on necks, but nothing further than the couple's bodies grinding passionately together materialised; the look in each woman's hooded eyes a silent challenge to the other of who could hold out the longest without caving in and begging to be fucked. Unsurprisingly, Piper won; her filthy promises whispered huskily in Alex's ear while running a long index finger up the brunette's inner thigh had been the final straw, the taller girl shuddering before letting out a soft 'fuck' and grabbing Piper's hand, literally dragging the smug-faced little fucking _tease _to the exit, shoving the door open recklessly and stumbling into the street. Using the fact that she and the blonde were under the spotlight, a cab was hailed for them in no time (because _fuck _waiting for Piper's driver) and the couple slid in, hands groping for each other wildly as Alex rolled off her address before meeting Piper's lips aggressively, the blonde smirking into the kiss triumphantly.

The pair found themselves craving release long into the early hours of the morning, ignorant to the fact Nicky was probably asleep in the room across the apartment. Alex must've moaned out Piper's name a hundred times throughout the night, the blonde's long fingers and incredible mouth working her over relentlessl , fulfilling her promises until Alex couldn't take it anymore, roughly flipping them over and fucking Piper hard and rough, unlike her usual teasing, calculated self. It was her birthday after all, so the brunette granted her lover orgasm after toe-curling orgasm with her fingers and tongue, revelling in the sensations of Piper's keening moans raining down from above and her writhing body attempting to find purpose by gripping the satin sheets tightly between her fists, hips bucking wildly under Alex's unrelenting touch. Their love making had gone on for quite some time, each of them thankful for their reckless youth and the fact they kept themselves fit, until after one particularly adventurous manoeuvre the brunette had collapsed into Piper's aching arms and heaving chest, her own breaths coming short.

"How are we ever gonna stop?" She grinned at the blonde when her breaths evened out, taking slightly longer to recover than her more athletic girlfriend.

"By collapsing from exhaustion?" Piper smirked at Alex, but the brunette's question rang true. The couple literally could not be near each other without touching, or teasing or gazing lustfully at the other woman. It didn't worry them; their relationship was fuelled on passion and love, Alex's protective nature and Piper's fiery temper were a dangerous mix. But somehow it worked; their relationship became stronger every day, and it was quite frankly the best two and a half months of both their lives. They had their personal problems, but apart from inside the building where they worked, Piper and Alex were constantly touching, as if reminding each other that the other was actually real, that they'd found the person whose demons played well with their own. _Work._ The thought had once brought a smile to only Piper's face, but now Alex's lips twitched upward involuntarily at the mention. Not just her work with the blonde (which, despite how busy she was kept she found engaging and fulfilling), but her artwork was now proudly on display in places like Chicago, San Francisco and Piper had even _ex_ported (rather than her usual manner of bringing things in) some of her stuff to a little gallery in Prague. Unsurprisingly, the brunette had been feeling rather inspired since she'd fallen in love with Piper. So, while Alex was having the time of her life with the older woman, the main idea she'd come to New York with, to be an artist, was falling nicely into step alongside her relationship. Things were good. Mostly. As if reading her mind, Piper's fingers stilled in her girlfriend's hair.

"C'mon." The blonde whispered quietly into the darkness. "There's a lot of work to be done tomorrow." Alex sighed knowingly, turning her body into Piper and moving her head to a pillow rather than her girlfriend's chest.

"I know." She replied sadly, referring to the amount of sorting out that needed done in the office; Piper was leaving in two days. _Again._ Barcelona was the order of business this time. A week, she'd decided, would be long enough to sort out a few deals and bring in some money (a _fuckload_ of money). She didn't usually give a timetable to her trips, but Alex had convinced her it would be easier to organise her schedule if the brunette knew when her boss would be back. Alex was mostly doing her job, but it would set her mind at rest if she could count down the days (hours and minutes) until the blonde would be home. It was bad enough that they'd be separated again, terrible even, but the worst thing? Piper was leaving from the thirteenth until the twentieth. She was in Barcelona, while Alex was in New York, on the fourteenth of February; _Valentine's Day._ They were apart at Christmas, and they'd be apart on Valentine's too. Alex had been almost inconsolable when she'd read the dates on the email. Almost, but she'd pulled it together, on the outside at least. Inside, however, she was gutted.

"Goodnight, baby." Piper smiled through the darkness at the unusually quiet taller girl who smiled back. It didn't reach her eyes.

"Night, Piper." Alex whispered tiredly, her muscles aching and a heavy feeling in her chest when she thought about a Valentine's night away from her love. For now, though, they had another thirty hours or so before she left. Why did it always feel although they were counting down to something, waiting for one to leave or the other to come home?

* * *

Work passed annoyingly slowly for both women. Piper stayed in her office mostly, alternating between calling people and going over an itinerary for the week with her staff. Alex was present at the meetings, but she wasn't really there. She was dreading the coming week after how badly Milan had gone. Piper promised not to fuck up again, and although Alex believed her, the workload was not encouraging. So when a despondent Alex walked into the blonde's office at five to excuse herself, Piper Chapman noticed. She _always_ noticed.

"Come to mine at seven." It wasn't a question. Piper Chapman didn't do questions. It was a demand. Her tanned legs sat invitingly crossed on top of her desk, and she sat with her phone in her right hand and a glass of water in the other. She gauged Alex's reaction with piercing, inquisitive blue eyes. The brunette nodded, feeling small under the businesswoman's gaze. She gave her girlfriend a small wave, an awkward smile, turned on her heel and left without a word. Piper didn't chase after her, just sighed and rubbed her forehead with her thumb and forefinger. Had she ever in her life felt less excited to go to Barcelona, or anywhere for that matter? Piper didn't appreciate feeling discontent, but she was unsure what the hell to do about it. There was perhaps one thing, however, and the blonde smirked to herself as she drew up a new word document.

* * *

Alex was not often nervous around Piper these days. The two found solace in each other, felt at home in each other's arms. But sitting on the blonde's bed, idly thumbing through a battered copy of _Great Expectations_ while her girlfriend packed, Alex felt an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew it was immature to be so needy, but the brunette was anxious (_terrified)_ about her girlfriend being halfway around the world over Valentine's Day. It absolutely was not because she doubted Piper or didn't trust her or anything along those lines. Alex didn't know what it fucking was, or why she felt so apprehensive, but she simply _was._ Piper had a way of making her feel things she couldn't explain. Sultry, inviting music played quietly through Piper's speaker system, but Alex barely noticed. Her mind was racing; how was she going to cope with being away from the ravishing blonde moving her hips to the beat in front of her while tossing clothes into a suitcase.

_Wait._

Alex's eyes snapped up from the blurred words of the page in front of her as she took in Piper swaying her ass deliberately in a very short pair of shorts, about three metres away from the bed. The blonde didn't look round at her girlfriend, but she knew Alex was looking. Her body moved seductively to the beat, before she eventually turned to the brunette, smirking devilishly. Alex's eyes were dark, a smouldering fire burning in her green irises from behind her glasses as she stared intently at her girlfriend. The unnerving feeling stayed with her, but it was joined by a fierce longing for Piper.

"Get over here." She commanded, her voice hoarse with lust. As expected, Piper did not heel, still dancing slowly from her spot at the wardrobe. The blonde peeled her grey top off agonisingly slow, teasing the brunette with her fair skin and black, lace bra. Alex set her book down, beckoning Piper towards her with a finger and a lustful glare. This time, Piper obeyed; sashaying over to the brunette confidently.

"Are you gonna miss me?" Her voice was smooth, velvety, unlike Alex's rough tones. Piper was in control here.

"Yes." Alex husked. "Too much." She added momentarily with a slight head shake. The blonde sat at the foot of her bed on her knees, running her hands invitingly over her lithe body while Alex followed her every movement. _Say it._ Piper's mind urged. _What do you have to lose?_

"Come with me." It still wasn't a question. Piper's voice was strong despite her racing heart. Alex's eyes widened. She was expecting a lot of things from Piper, but this was not one.

"What?" She breathed after a moment.

"I mean it; I'll buy your plane ticket." Piper flicked the music off with the remote, still sitting upright on her knees, her toned stomach on full display to Alex.

"Are you serious?" The brunette questioned, shifting forwards and crawling towards her girlfriend.

"Yes." Piper whispered, raising her eyebrows when they came face to face and running a smooth hand over Alex's collar bones, mussing up the bottom of her raven hair.

"Wouldn't I have to give notice?" Alex queried, aware of how important her role would be when Piper was off in Barcelona.

"I'm your fucking boss, you don't have to give notice." Piper laughed darkly, her girlfriend's mind clearly clouded with lust.

"Will I get in trouble?" Alex's voice was thick as the blonde pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses along her jaw and neck.

"God I hope so." Piper husked, pulling back to look Alex in the eye.

"You know what I mean." The brunette countered, reluctant to commit to Europe at a moment's notice, leaving behind her job, art, best friend, and without telling her mother where she was (because Alex sure as hell didn't think Diane Vause would take_ that_ one well).

"You're just there to keep me company." Piper confirmed, pulling Alex's t shirt off and discarding it behind her. "C'mon, babe, I want you to come." The blonde pressed her body into Alex's, splaying her cold fingertips over her girlfriend's stomach. "And I want you to _come."_ She added suggestively, finally bringing their lips together and slipping a hand slightly underneath the waistband of the brunette's shorts. The taller girl moaned incoherently, bringing her hands to Piper's face and kissing her deeply. "Yes? Is that a yes?" Piper teased between kisses.

"Yes." Alex breathed, slipping an eager tongue into her girlfriend's mouth and arching into her hands. How could she possibly say no to her girlfriend when she was touching her, kissing her, making her feel like this? In a moment of rare clarity that _should_ have frightened her, Alex realised she would do _anything_ for Piper while she was in this state, no matter what the consequences were.

* * *

"_Benvinguts a Catalunya." _Piper cried happily in Alex's ear, pulling her girlfriend close and kissing her on the cheek. The pair were walking out of the airport hand in hand into the bright winter sun of Barcelona, their suitcases (Alex's hastily packed this morning along with a scribbled note explaining her trip to Nicky) towed behind them by a young Spanish man who held their name on a placard inside the airport. The flight had been long and the sun came up about halfway though, their first class seating area lit softly as the couple reclined in plush leather seats, covered by a fluffy blanket (first class or not, the plane was _freezing)_. On one hand, Alex was grateful for the warmth provided by it and the blonde cradled to her side, but the coverage allowed said blonde to run her hands very suggestively over Alex's jean-clad thighs while the brunette was trying to speak to the flight attendant, causing her voice to catch in her throat mid-sentence and her cheeks to burn red when Piper groped her hard, particularly close to her centre. The mischievous blonde hadn't even looked up whilst doing it, but upon hearing her girlfriend's unusually high pitched voice she turned to the flight attendant and Alex with a mock expression of concern.

"Everything okay, sweetheart?" The blonde pouted and furrowed her eyebrows as Alex sat rigidly in her chair. The air hostess was oblivious and looked as if she thought the brunette was having a fit.

"All good." Alex ground out through clenched teeth. "A water, if you'd be so kind." She directed towards the flustered girl standing beside her, who nodded awkwardly and walked (ran) away. Piper feigned innocence and turned nonchalantly back to her book.

"I'll get you back." Is all Alex said, and she didn't miss the smirk on Piper's face.

"I look forward to it." She replied without lifting her head.

* * *

So far, Alex hadn't figured out how to get Piper back. But it was early days yet as the car pulled up to a standalone villa in a secluded area of Barcelona. Piper thanked the driver in flawless Catalan (because Spanish was apparently too easy for her and she, quote, 'enjoyed speaking Catalan more') before stepping out of the white BMW and skipping over to Alex's door, opening it wide and pulling her out by the hand. Piper unloaded their suitcases (Piper's was smaller than Alex's which had confused the brunette until her girlfriend informed her she had a house out here anyway) onto the tiny road in front of the house. The home itself was a huge building that would've looked slightly out of place in the traditional setting of Barcelona. But it was secluded, so the white washed walls and modern windows did not look so odd. It looked new, with bright lights illuminating the turquoise pool water visible through the green, leafy trees at the front of the vast garden. The pair walked the short distance to the entrance and Piper fished a key out of the tight denim pocket of her pale blue jeans, opening the black door to a wide, cool area with a wrought iron staircase housing wooden steps at the back and pale oak doors lining the walls on either side of them.

"Wow." Alex knew Piper was rich, but this place was bigger even than her penthouse in New York. Surprisingly, there was no chandelier hanging from the tall ceiling, but many smaller lights were on the walls and ceiling, making it seem more modern. It was an expansive area, with marble floors and contemporary art in frames covering the wall above the staircase and many of the spaces between the doors. The blonde watched her girlfriend marvel at the house before walking ahead of her with both their suitcase. Alex didn't notice at first, but eventually she caught up with Piper and took her own bag from Piper's grip. "This is amazing." Alex wished they had come during warmer weather so they could swim in the pool or go to the beach, but she certainly wasn't complaining.

"It's my favourite house." Piper concurred, running a hand affectionately over the banister on the staircase.

"Even New York?" Alex enquired as the pair walked across the landing, past more art and doors.

"I get used to it too much, it's boring." Piper shrugged and threw open a door at the end of the landing. Alex wondered how you could get bored in a house with its own library and swimming pool, but each to their own. They were in Piper's bedroom now; a four poster sat in the middle with white sheets floating down from the top and similarly coloured bedding adorned the huge bed. It was much different to the blonde's New York bedroom; it was light and airy, with a wooden floor and white French doors leading to the balcony. The walls were a homely taupe colour and the ceiling was white, an intricate glass light hanging from the ceiling. There was a mini fridge, a TV, a rug, many paintings and the room was probably more homely than Piper's one in New York; Alex could see why Piper liked it so much. Suddenly, Piper's hands were on the side of Alex's face, pulling her in for a deep, slow kiss. The brunette stood still for a moment, startled by the sudden affection, before settling her hands on Piper's waist and opening her mouth to allow her girlfriend's tongue in, softly moaning at the sensation. They stayed like that for a long while; suitcases discarded somewhere, wrapped up in each other. Piper's thumb stroked Alex's cheek lovingly, their tongues dancing sensually, the blonde leading the kiss as Alex's hands ran up and down the small of her back. There was a feeling of relief in the kiss, as if Piper was finally coming to terms with the fact Alex had agreed to come with her; the brunette was really standing in the room Piper had been alone in so many times before. Their lips parted eventually, but Piper kept her warm hands on Alex's face.

"What was that for?" The brunette enquired, her face flushed under Piper's touch.

"I just really wanted to do that." Piper beamed, and it made Alex just want to kiss her all over again. She resisted, however, reminding herself that she'd have a whole week to do just that. Instead, she grinned back at her girlfriend as Piper's hands slipped from her face, running down Alex's arms before stepping away from her and picking up both their suitcases effortlessly. Alex stared, the muscles in Piper's arms rippling, clearly visible with her crisp shirt pushed to her elbows as she carried their bags over to the wardrobe and chest of drawers on the far side of the bed. The brunette checked the time; three o'clock in the afternoon. _Yes,_ she smirked as she came up behind Piper and snaked her arms around the blonde's slim waist. _There's definitely time for this._

* * *

"Fuck off." Piper snarled as her girlfriend pulled a shirt over her head. "Honestly, fuck you so much Alex." The brunette just smirked cockily and put her glasses back on.

"I told you I'd get you back." She tossed a grin in Piper's direction from the bed.

"All I did was feel you up!" The blonde yelled, her cheeks flushed and half naked body towering over Alex who lay comfortably propped up on the pillows. "Begging me to fuck you, letting me, and then half returning the favour before deciding I'll be late is just ridiculous."

"I wouldn't say half returning." Alex interrupted, still chuckling at her enraged girlfriend. "You're way more than halfway there. Ninety-nine percent would be more accurate." The blonde managed to turn away from the bed and pull her dress back over her shoulders and down over her ass.

"You do realise I am going to be a total bitch all night because of this?" She growled, absolutely incensed that even though she'd came multiple times throughout the afternoon (on the bed, in the shower, even against the French doors once), Alex had decided that she wanted one more round before they went to the bar where Piper was scheduled to meet her clients for the first time. The blonde had been all for it, using her fingers to make Alex come undone rather than her mouth so as not to ruin her makeup. Her girlfriend had returned the favour, mostly, but at the first cry of "I'm coming!" from Piper, Alex had removed herself from the blonde, leaving her on the very edge of release but not quite there and announcing that she really needed to go.

"That would make a change." Alex quipped sarcastically, delighted with how her plan had worked. More importantly than the fact Piper was frustrated, now the blonde would be desperate to come home from her meeting to Alex and have the brunette finish her job. "Have fun, baby." She said as Piper furiously put her black heels on and tried to fix her hair as best she could.

"Are we even now?" Piper raised her eyebrows at her girlfriend; the blonde couldn't stand being teased and although Alex's stunt had been worse than hers, she would let it slip if it meant Alex would fuck her when she came home.

"Sure. I love you, you know that?" Alex's expression softened as the blonde walked to the door.

"I know. I love you too." She called back before adding in an enraged tone. "I'll be home soon, you asshole, probably with no developments because my clients will think I'm an uptight bitch." She sounded mad, but she winked at Alex before turning and slipping out.

"What on Earth would give them that impression?" Alex said to herself as she heard the door close behind Piper. Settling into the pillows and closing her eyes, jetlag overcoming her, the brunette smirked to herself. This was going to be one hell of a week.

* * *

A/N: I know it seems not much happened here, but basically this chapter's showing how their relationship has obviously developed from when Piper went to Milan. And at the beginning, Piper blowing off her work opportunities for Alex is going to be important as their relationship shifts once they're out of the sort of honeymoon phase. For now, though, I can promise a couple more chapters of loved up Vauseman, because who doesn't need some of that in their life?


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Firstly, thank you for two hundred reviews! This chapter is a token of my thanks; a whole twenty four hours in the life of our favourite couple. Enjoy! Before I forget, my twitter handle is now omgschilling. Another A/N at the bottom.

* * *

Alex hears the blonde before she sees her; the crashing slam of the front door reverberating through the entire villa and rousing the brunette from a deep, jetlag induced sleep. She hears her girlfriend's usually calm tones yelling and swearing at the top of her voice. Mostly, Piper just repeats '_fuck!'_ over and over as she storms upstairs, but there are a few variations thrown in for good measure. Alex panics when she hears Piper's temper come barrelling towards her down the landing, and the brunette instinctively recoils from the anger before realising it's not directed at her, hopefully. (_Please, God, don't let it be directed at me! _She inwardly screams.) Finally, the bedroom door is thrown open by the tall blonde, colliding against the wall before Piper slams it shut incredibly hard, the fierce din deafening Alex momentarily, not to mention the battering rain cascading down from the dark, threatening night outside; droplets thundering against the French doors and bouncing heavily off the patio outside. Piper's shoulders are pushed back, her face flushed and her eyes burning with rage, white dress transparent in places from the stormy weather and her hair slightly dripping. In that moment, Alex is really scared of her girlfriend. Not scared like she had been at the start of their relationship and the like, but she's genuinely fearful that the girl in front of her could seriously hurt her. Piper is suddenly quiet, too quiet, the only sound in the room coming from Alex's shallow breaths. She regards her girlfriend fearfully from behind the duvet cover that's pulled to just below her nose before deciding to speak to the deathly silent figure just inside the doorway.

"Piper?" Alex's voice sounds alien to her, it's a strangely high pitched sound that doesn't suit her. My god, is she scared; for her safety, but also for Piper. What the fuck happened to get the blonde in such a state? Her temper is bad, but this is unprecedented. The blonde doesn't acknowledge her, doesn't move a muscle. "Piper." Alex repeats, shifting the duvet away from her and sitting on the edge of the four poster bed, hands on her bare thighs as she tries to catch her girlfriend's attention. She continues to be ignored, and Alex is now getting tired of this. Shaking her head, she stalks over towards the motionless blonde, furious expressions on both their faces. "Piper!" Alex yells, standing to her full height but still shorter than her girlfriend, due to Piper's heels. Finally, the older girl's gaze shifts from the opposite wall to Alex, a ferocious, incensed look in her narrowed blue eyes and her jaw clenched tightly. Alex is beginning to think she has mightily pissed the blonde off; causing her heart to thump loudly in her chest and her hands to become clammy. Piper fixes Alex with the sort of look that would make a soldier's ass leak, and suddenly the brunette feels very small, like she needs to apologise for something. "Look, Piper, I-" She's cut off by Piper attacking her lips aggressively with her own, her hands sliding immediately to Alex's barely covered ass, groping roughly and pulling their bodies flush against each other. Alex is so stunned, she doesn't even move.

"Fucking kiss me back." Piper growls against Alex's unyielding lips before the brunette grabs a fistful of her girlfriend's hair and crashes their eager mouths together desperately. The blonde takes control immediately, delving her tongue into Alex's mouth and desirously exploring, all the while kneading her lover's ass between her fingers. Piper moves a thigh between Alex's legs, still kissing her greedily, and the brunette can't help but moan as she involuntarily grinds on Piper's toned, bare leg, still pulling blonde locks between her fingers and making futile attempts to gain any kind of dominance in the encounter. But her endeavours are useless, for Piper is kissing her so deeply and thrusting her thigh between her legs so hard, if it weren't for the blonde's tight grip on her ass Alex would be a quivering mess on the floor. Instead, she's a quivering mess standing up, and her hands are shaking so much she can't get a grip on Piper's zip. The kiss breaks, Alex gasping for breath while Piper looks totally unruffled by the whole thing, her dark eyes still burning with anger but clouding over quickly with lust.

"Bed. _Now." _Piper commands, pressing her lithe body against Alex but not kissing her or grabbing at her, simply pushing against the brunette so she's forced to walk backwards until the back of her knees suddenly hit the back of the bed and she stumbles backwards, Piper smirking darkly, almost feeling pitiful for the younger girl. She straddles Alex immediately, slipping her knees effortlessly on either side of her girlfriend's thighs and roughly grabbing her cotton t-shirt between her fists, pulling their clothed chests against each other and their lips once again meet hungrily. Piper's desperate for Alex, though she doesn't show it; she's had such a horrendous evening that didn't go to plan and all she wants, needs, _craves_ is her lover's touch, her warm tongue tangling with Piper's and her hands splayed affectionately over the blonde's back. They kiss heavily like this for a moment, Piper on top of Alex, hands on either side of her face; the rain is still battering away at the windows and doors, but all Piper hears is her girlfriend's breathy moans and short breaths as she continues her relentless assault on Alex's mouth and body, her hands never stilling for long, moving between her raven locks or perfect breasts or flushed cheeks. Eventually, Piper tugs on Alex's hair and moves the brunette's soft lips to her neck, where she kisses and bites all over while the older girl groans encouragingly before reluctantly stepping back to take her dress off. Piper reaches behind her slowly, never taking her eyes away from Alex's as she unzips the garment and shimmies out of it sexily, and accentuating her movements as the wet garment sticks to her slightly. Alex studies her from further up the bed, wonders where her anger dissipated to, or has it just transformed into lust? It feels that way, looks that way as Piper straddles her, towers over her once more, clad only in white lace underwear; tousled hair (still slightly damp from the rain) falling over her right shoulder and a full bottom lip trapped between her brilliantly white teeth, her pupils wide and dilated. Alex Vause suddenly can't believe her luck; her she is in Barcelona on what's technically Valentine's morning, with a stunning, smart, charming, sexy blonde in her lap. _My god, life is good,_ she thinks as Piper's cool hands run underneath her shirt, peeling it off effortlessly.

"Good choice." The blonde muses, referring to Alex's reluctance to wear any underwear to bed when she'd been asleep before Piper returned. The older woman doesn't waste any time; she's hot and ready and still a little pissed off and she just wants to make Alex see stars, remind herself that she's still good at _something, _so she trails her long fingers down to the brunette's core while latching onto a nipple with her mouth, worrying it between her lips and tongue as Alex arches desperately into the blonde's touch. Piper places both her hands rather forcefully on Alex's hips, keeping her firmly in place as she repeats her ministrations on the other breast, the brunette moaning breathily from above her. Piper moves on quickly, kissing and licking a blazing trail down the plains of Alex's stomach before coming to rest on her right hipbone. Here, she sucks and bites for a moment, leaving a mark behind before kissing it affectionately and stroking it with the tip of her thumb. It simply causes Alex to become impossibly more turned on, incoherencies spilling from her mouth as her girlfriend's digits inch ever closer to her dripping centre. Piper doesn't ask Alex to spread her legs further, she doesn't demand, she simply flexes her muscles slightly as if daring her girlfriend to object, sharply pulling Alex towards her by the thighs and hooking the brunette's leg over her shoulder for better access. Her fingers found purpose in her lover's blonde locks, Alex's face already contorting in pleasure and hips rising off the bed in anticipation as Piper breathed onto her centre gently.

"Lie still, and look at me while I fuck you, or I'll stop." Piper informed her in an unusually rough voice. Alex bit down on her lip until she felt blood to stop from moaning at the sound, locking her gaze with the sultry woman between her thighs. Piper winked seductively from her position before pushing one long, single finger into her girlfriend, smirking devilishly as Alex's mouth formed a perfect 'O' shape at the sensation. Piper considers drawing it out, but lust overcomes her quickly so she adds a second finger, left hand on Alex's thigh and right pumping in and out of her girlfriend as the brunette's hip meet her thrusts perfectly, rough moans and quiet whisperings of Piper's name spilling from her lips as the blonde's thumb rubbed expertly at Alex's clit, circling the overly sensitive nub in time with her thrusts while still not attaching her lips to the brunette's core. Piper adds a third digit, curling her fingers upwards when they reached furthest inside Alex, hitting that rough, explosive spot inside her lover repeatedly, fucking the girl relentlessly as her name fell from Alex's lips over and over like a prayer, her voice rising with every thrust. Piper's three long, dexterous fingers make two particularly hard strokes before the brunette unravels, grasping at sheets and her hips bucking wildly, unable to look away from Piper's gaze boring holes through her as her most powerful orgasm to date ripped through her body, making the hairs on the back of Alex's neck stand up and her walls to clench tightly around her girlfriend's magical fingers. Piper didn't let up, rather she finally delved into Alex's delightful need, basking in the heady aroma before her tongue joined two of her fingers, lapping up the younger girl's juices and moaning low in her throat at the taste. Piper's fingers moved again, fucking Alex as hard as she could while sucking and licking and kissing at all the places her fingers couldn't reach, before settling her mouth contentedly on her girlfriend's bundle of nerves. Using her tongue and just a slight amount of teeth raking over Alex's clit, the blonde once more curled her fingers upwards inside Alex, never deviating from the task at hand. Once the brunette's first languished cry of _"Fuck, Piper, I'm coming."_ Was heard, Piper replaced her fingers with her tongue, pushing it inside Alex as far as she could, hands on the inside of the younger girl's thighs to try and spread her further. A thumb moved back to Alex's clit, working it over as Piper's tongue continued to taste Alex, the brunette finally unable to keep her eyes open. Piper didn't stop; however, she brought Alex to orgasm once more with her tongue, flattening it against her opening as the girl underneath her shuddered and cried out, her voice hoarse from the constant moans she couldn't help but provide. Piper grinned against her girlfriend's core, giving one last slow lick up her slit before sliding back up Alex's body and kissing the brunette hard. Alex's hands immediately found their way to Piper's hair, pushing it back from her forehead as their tongues danced lazily between them. The kiss broke quickly, Alex still dazed from her orgasm.

"You wanna talk about it?" Alex questioned seriously, tracing her thumb over Piper's cheek. The blonde narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips for a moment before answering.

"I could bore you with the long version-" She begins, but Alex cuts her off.

"Piper, I will lie here and listen to you complain all night if you need me to." She says solemnly, and Piper offers her a small smile from her position above the brunette.

"Well then I would bore myself. The clients were more interested in drinking and joking than trying to talk about business." Piper shrugs through the dark. "It was fucking frustrating, they were these fucking sleazy _assholes_; every time I opened my mouth they cut me off to talk about some other irrelevant shit." The blonde feels her temper rising again and she lowers her voice abruptly. "Then I got absolutely drenched trying to get home, no better off than when I left. I'm sorry." Alex scoffs at her apology, running her thumb over Piper's bottom lip adoringly.

"Don't apologise. If this is what happens every time you get into a temper, I'll have to piss you off more often." Alex winks, and Piper raises her eyebrows suggestively.

"You wouldn't dare." The blonde whispers, and Alex is about to lean in for a kiss before she runs her hands down Piper's bare arms.

"Fuck!" She cries, and the older girl looks at her, alarmed. "You're freezing, Pipes." Alex presses her hot fingers into Piper's clammy skin, but it's only making her colder rather than making Piper warmer.

"I'm sure you could find a way to warm me up." Piper husks, attempting to kiss the surprised girl beneath her.

"Yes, by running you a bath." Alex nods, slipping out of her girlfriend's embrace. Piper groans into the pillow beneath her as the brunette escapes into the en suite. _Am I ever going to get laid?_ She thinks before dutifully following her doting girlfriend into the bathroom.

* * *

The answer to that question was, of course, yes. Yes, four times to be exact. But who's counting? It had turned out to be quite an incredible night after the train wreck of a dinner. Alex had drawn Piper a steaming hot bath, with bubbles and bath salts and candles and glasses of expensive red wine for them to sip. She'd declined the offer to join, but the pair sat talking quietly for quite some time while the blonde's tense body soaked in the water. There are very few things more erotic than a good conversation, and there in that bathroom in the small hours of the morning, Piper Chapman was in love. She spoke to Alex bound by no limitations or fears, and it was probably the best feeling in the world. All of the shit that happened in her life, the dark nights spent alone sobbing over the loss of her mother finally held a strange sort of semblance, just for the fact they had led Piper to this moment. She loved touching Alex, holding her, fucking her, but above all else? Piper _loved_ talking to her. All the other things she could do with anyone, but Alex was the only one she could really speak to. She was in love then, and she was in love when Alex towelled her down softly and massaged her tense shoulders, and she was certainly in love when the brunette's talented fingers ran down her spine, Piper's head falling back onto Alex's shoulder as the taller girl fucked her slow, standing right there in the middle of the bathroom. Piper cried out into the heated skin of Alex's neck repeatedly, before her orgasm finally tore through her after the hours of waiting. It was only Alex's strong hold on her that stopped the blonde's legs from giving out after the intensity of the whole evening. Yes, it would be fair to say that Piper Chapman was in love.

* * *

Despite having slept for most of the evening, when Alex finally laid down beside her snoring girlfriend at about four o'clock in the morning, a deep, content sleep blanketed both women. Piper stirred first, the sunlight streaming in from the windows blinding her momentarily. A genuine, thousand watt smile grew on her face as she realised what day it was. _Valentine's Day._ She slipped quietly from the bed, frowning slightly at a splinter in the bed frame that definitely had _not_ been there when they arrived. It was probably Piper, but she would tease Alex anyway for not being able to control herself under Piper's touch. Making a mental note to thank her butler for getting her message before they arrived to specially stock the kitchen, Piper pulled out an expensive bottle of Champagne, two glasses, and the ever so original strawberries and chocolate before heating the chocolate in a bowl, balancing it precariously in her hands and stealing back into the bedroom. Alex still lay out for the count, her pale back on full display to Piper and her raven locks cascading messily down to the middle of her spine. Piper managed to set the Champagne and glasses on the bed, along with the bowl of warm chocolate and box of strawberries without spilling a drop. Alex stirred at the sudden clattering beside her ear and the dip in the mattress as Piper crawled in beside her.

"You could have woken me up nicely."Alex mumbled into her pillow, flexing the muscles in her back.

"Where's the fun in that?" Piper quips, smirking at her girlfriend who peers back with one eye closed. Alex stretches again, pushing herself over onto her back and pulling the duvet up around her and her girlfriend, causing the glasses to clink and Alex to glance at them warily.

"Where..." She trails off, knowing she'll never get a straight answer from Piper if she asks where her little collection came from. The blonde is grinning like a Cheshire cat at Alex's surprise, and even when she kisses her girlfriend good morning, champagne bottle in one hand and the other on Alex's cheek, Piper smirks the whole damn time.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were trying to sweeten me up because you're about to go out on business." Alex eyed the blonde warily when the kiss broke, but Piper shook her head adamantly.

"No fucking way. I'm yours, all day." She picks her phone up from the bedside table and presses the home button a few times, showing the brunette it's turned off. Alex smiled happily before turning her attention to the bottle in Piper's hand.

"Isn't a little early? Even for you, Pipes." She teases, slipping her glasses on. Piper frowns in mock horror.

"It's Valentine's Day you little shit. I'm allowed." Piper shakes her head at Alex before shaking the bottle vigorously and popping the cork out with an obviously practiced ease. The cork shoots off to somewhere in the room, thick foam spilling down the neck of the bottle. Piper giggles, licks up the spilt liquid seductively, eyeing Alex as her tongue laps up the sweet alcohol. The brunette draws a shallow breath and laughs inwardly when she thinks back to the time she thought she'd be able to resist the stunning blonde sitting in bed beside her. As if anybody could look at Piper Chapman and stop themselves from lusting after her; the girl practically defined irresistible. Piper poured their glasses happily, handing Alex's hers and raising her own.

"To us." Piper toasts, and Alex rolled her eyes; _how romantic._

"Original. " She says, but toasts anyway, clinking her glass off the blonde's and raising the glass to her lips with a smirk. It was clearly expensive champagne; usually Alex hated the taste, but this one was sweet, fruity, light and delightfully fizzy on her tongue. She swallowed a gulp of it (not as much as Piper, obviously, the bloody alcoholic...) and raised her eyebrows, smiling.

"Mmm, that's good!" Alex exclaims and Piper nods, agreeing.

"I'd like to think so." She drawls, taking another sip (_really massive amount_) from her glass and closing her eyes, humming quietly as the bubbly liquid runs down her throat. Piper licks her lips at the small droplet at the corner of her mouth. It's a small gesture, but it's enough to get Alex feeling riled up already. They haven't even made it out of bed yet, for god sake. Eyeing the strawberries and chocolate excitedly, Alex and Piper both smirked to each other. Maybe they didn't need to make it out.

* * *

It took them quite some time, but Piper had made reservations for eight, so eventually the pair hauled ass into the shower, sweaty and covered in champagne and chocolate.

"Fucking hell." Piper gasped when she saw her disheveled reflection in the mirror; her blonde hair stuck out wildly, sticky at the ends where champagne had spilled over them when Alex knocked the bottle flying, refusing to be teased any longer when Piper kept _'accidentally'_ letting droplets of the liquid spill and flow over her sculpted collarbones and down her naked chest. So Piper chest was also sticky from places Alex had failed to lap up the spilt champagne, and chocolate may or may not have hardened on her sternum and above her hipbone. She brushed it off, blushing at the state of her reflection. However, Alex's lips and tongue had captured most of whatever it was she was pouring over her girlfriend, and it was easily the hottest thing either woman had ever experienced. Piper had returned the favour dutifully, but Alex's reflection didn't fare much better. There was still the bruise on her hipbone, as well as a row of hickeys on her neck and her collarbones were glistening with dried champagne.

"Yep." Alex nodded from behind Piper, eyes wide at their appearance. They were so caught up in each other that neither had really realised what was going on.

"God knows what the bedroom's like." Piper laughed while pulling Alex into the shower, as Alex chuckled with her.

"It's your fault." Alex informed the blonde, before their lips met in a searing kiss, warm water cascading over them as hands slipped between bodies and the two continued what they'd began in the bedroom.

* * *

"Please, _please_ tell me you have a maid!" Alex cried, walking back into the bedroom and surveying the bomb site before them. "Or six..." She added quietly.

"I'll get it sorted." Piper promised, absolutely mortified that some poor woman was going to have to sort this out. Bottles of champagne lay discarded on the wooden floor, and the sheets both on the bed and flowing from the top of the four poster were covered in chocolate, champagne and juice from the strawberries. There was also champagne all over the floor, a lamp was knocked over and strawberries were crushed into the sheet covering the mattress.

"That was definitely your fault." Piper said, referring to the lamp that must have been knocked down when Alex had sent the bottle of champagne flying. They'd only drank maybe a bottle and a half, but three or four lay scattered around, most of it poured over their bodies or discarded when it had gone flat or warm.

"Technically you made me do it." Alex winked at the wet haired blonde beside her. Shower sex with Piper Chapman was life changing, and it was a toast to both their willpowers that they'd managed to keep their hands off each other for long enough to wash properly. Piper shrugged, accepted the criticism and began to thumb idly through her wardrobe for a dress to wear. Alex meanwhile set about drying her hair, not so subtly stealing glances at Piper's naked form. When the pair were together, there seemed to be a common misconception that Alex was much taller than Piper. This was untrue; Piper was still about five foot eight, with a seemingly permanent tan and flawless, unblemished skin. Her shoulders were slim, but toned and you could tell she spent a lot of time on her body. Piper's little infinity tattoo was slightly visible from her position at the wardrobe and her back curved in slightly before her tight ass (my god, did Alex love that ass) came into view. There wasn't a pick of fat on the blonde, but she certainly was not overly skinny. Slim, lithe and toned, would be the way to describe her build; especially evident in her defined calf muscles and strong thighs. Piper's figure was to die for and Alex desperately wanted to go over and slip her arms around the blonde, but they were running tight for time. She could wait until they got home, right?

* * *

Alex might have been able to wait, but Piper was finding it very difficult indeed not to just cancel the dinner and fuck Alex _again_. Especially when the brunette had her hair pinned up and a lace sleeved, skin tight black dress on her that was inviting to say the least. It was a cool evening in Barcelona, so although Alex's legs were bare, seemingly never ending until eventually Piper's eyes fell on the black stilettos with a red sole, she wore a black blazer over her dress. Yes, Piper was finding it difficult to say the least to keep her hands to herself. Piper's dress meanwhile was a metallic gold, made from a sort of hard material and coming to her mid thigh. Her shoes were a sparkling navy and her hair hung loose, dried naturally. While Alex kept her lust hidden slightly, she wasn't faring much better than Piper. Alex cleared her throat to try and clear the lump that had formed.

"Ready?" It didn't work; Alex's voice was thick and full of lust.

"Are _you?"_ Piper smirked, raising her eyebrows at her girlfriend's tone.

"Born ready." Alex replied, winking and taking the hand that Piper offered. The pair walked from the house, Piper texted her maid without checking her other messages and turned the phone right back off again before they reached the small garage.

"Let me guess... a Bentley?" Alex enquired as the pair waited for the door to open.

"Who the fuck would drive a Bentley in Barcelona?!" Piper shook her head as the door slid upwards, revealing two smallish, ridiculously expensive-looking cars. One was matte black, low to the ground with defined edges on the doors and blacked out windows. The other was white, a Ferrari, smaller than the one beside it, and sleeker somehow. It was nice, a convertible, but Alex took a liking to its more mysterious counterpart.

"Take your pick." Piper stood between the two cars, hands outstretched and jangling two sets of keys she'd retrieved from a desk behind the cars. Alex thought for a moment before pointing at the black car to Piper's right.

"That one." She nodded, stepping into the door once Piper opened it for her. The blonde slipped into the other side, put the keys into the ignition and revved the engine flamboyantly.

"Didn't have you down as the Lamborghini type." She mused, pulling the Aventador out of the driveway and tearing off towards the bright lights of Barcelona.

"What did you have me down as?" Alex wondered, considering there were only two cars in the garage anyway.

"The slow, convertible, scenic driver type." Piper teased, and the brunette knew her girlfriend was lying, trying to get a rise out of her.

"Are you calling me boring?"

"Maybe." Piper replied with a laugh, weaving through the tiny roads leading into the city.

"You couldn't even make that sound like you meant it." Alex chuckles at Piper's failed attempt to rile her up, and the blonde across the car laughed despite herself. Usually she'd be annoyed at someone catching her out when she tried to banter, but with Alex she didn't mind, it was nice to have met her match. As the couple stole into the bustling city of Barcelona, hands clasped over the middle of the car, Piper marvelled at the fact she could be so happy without the thought of work even entering her head. She could get used to this; an evening in a city where no one knew her but her girlfriend, no work to distract her. She _could_ get used to it, but Piper knew in her heart that she wouldn't. It would take much more than two months with a girl for her to give up everything she'd ever worked for. And, besides, right now she had the job and the girl, so why change anything?

* * *

"Piper, there's no one here." Alex whispered to the grinning blonde beside her in the restaurant.

"Yes there is, look." She pointed to a group of tuxedo clad men in the corner, one of whom noticed their arrival and walked stiffly over to them, greeting Piper with a handshake.

"Miss Chapman. _Benvinguts." _He greeted in a strong accent, obviously recognising Piper from a previous sighting. Piper spoke to him in rapid Catalan, Alex unable to understand too much of it but feeling weak at the knees anyway hearing her girlfriend speak in a foreign tongue. _My god, when did I get so gay?_ She wonders as the man leads them to a table right against the huge window that all of the walls, bar the back one were made from. It was breathtaking, by far the nicest place Alex had ever been, with simply breathtaking views over the stunning urban landscape of Barcelona. There was more champagne at their table, both women groaning quietly and blushing after the morning's events, but Piper ordered a bottle of their finest red anyway. She wouldn't drink any of it; she was driving and already at her limit, but Alex could hold her liquor much better than the blonde.

"Piper, did you book this whole restaurant for us?" Alex questions from behind her menu, smirking as the blonde blushes and looks at her sheepishly.

"Maybe." She giggles despite her embarrassment, and smiles genuinely at her girlfriend.

"You don't have to do all this, you know." Alex says seriously after a moment of disbelieving laughter. "I love you for _you_, not your money or your job or any of that."

"I know." Piper nods, sipping her water quietly. "It's just my way of doing things."

"I'm not complaining though, I mean, look at that." Alex shakes her head at the view from their table; blocks of buildings visible along with the narrow streets between them lit by street lights, but very little cars were on the roads. That probably had something to do with the hulking land mass in the middle, a floodlit green pitch surrounded by dots of people; there was soccer match going on, and the stadium lit up like a beacon among the dark buildings on either side, the faint roar from the crowd every so often wafting up to the couple in the restaurant.

"We'll go before we leave." Piper promised, and Alex looked at her skeptically. Soccer was not her thing, and she doubted very much that the blonde was into it.

"Why?" It comes out rudely, and the brunette cringes at her tone. "No, I mean, I want to, but what I meant was... are you into soccer?" Piper laughs at her girlfriend's flustered nature.

"Not at all, but there's a big game midweek apparently, and ninety thousand screaming people packed in such a small area is quite the experience." Piper explains, remembering the first time she'd rather drunkenly agreed to go with some clients. She was glad she did, and now she made a point to go every time she visited, usually alone. Obviously, Piper didn't care much for soccer players, but sometimes she got to meet their wives in the VIP box. Now that, _that_ was fun.

"Okay." Alex agreed rather excitably as the waiter arrived to take their order. Piper ordered something that sounded vaguely like chicken, while Alex spoke in her broken Catalan and asked for what she hoped was pasta. Piper looked at her strangely when the waiter left.

"What?" Alex adjusted her glasses rather nervously.

"That was hot." She said darkly, staring intently at her girlfriend. "How do you know Catalan?"

"Pipes, the words were right there on the page." Alex smirked at the confused blonde.

"Oh. You sound good." Piper replies blankly, feeling more turned on than she cared to admit.

"Is that how you charm all the ladies? You sound good?" Alex is laughing again, enjoying how the attraction to speaking foreign languages seems to work both ways.

"Fuck you." Piper grins from across the table, slapping Alex on the hand.

"Oh you're such a charmer." Alex quips back, hitting Piper back lightly as the pair descended into a light hearted game of slapsies. Eventually the blonde grappled with Alex for a moment before pinning both her hands to the table.

"It's weird how normal this feels." She says, more to herself than anyone, still holding the brunette's warm hands in her own.

"We just have a connection." Alex shrugs. It's corny, but it's Valentine's Day so Piper lets it slide. Suddenly, nothing mattered to either of them apart from the girl in their hands. Piper knew then, as did Alex, that she would never, ever feel this way about anyone ever again. She'd always remember those kind green eyes behind the thick-framed glasses, the husky voice, the little smirk that often adorned her face. Piper was infatuated with the girl, she's addicted, and she squeezes Alex's hands a little tighter when she even thinks about being separated from her, being without her. No, Piper can't even think about that, doesn't even consider it for more than a second. She will have to be pushed, and pushed _hard _if she's ever to be split from Alex Vause. And if it's one thing people know about her, it's that you sure as hell don't push the formidable blonde any more than she accepts.

* * *

"Do you hate anything about yourself?" Alex slurs from the lounger beside Piper. The pair are at home on the balcony of the house now, but Piper is freezing cold and can hardly entertain the tipsy brunette beside her.

"Of course I hate things about myself. I'm a shitty person, you know that." Piper says, gazing thoughtfully out onto the terrific darkness of the sky above them.

"No, I don't know that. You're perfect, kid." Alex says it, _means it._ She's a little drunk, but it doesn't matter.

"I am about as far from perfect as you can get." Piper sighs, doesn't feel like talking about this. "You know I'm damaged, at least."

"Yes." Alex agrees, because there's no point lying about it. "But you're still perfect."

"How?" Piper isn't fishing for compliments, but she's curious. "And if you break out into that John Mayer song, I'm throwing myself off this roof." She jokes, and the pair laugh pretty hard for a long moment. It's blissful out here, even though it's cold.

"What's that quote about damaged people? They're dangerous, because they know they can survive." Alex says, and Piper wonders what she's been smoking.

"What the fuck does that even mean?"

"I don't know." Alex laughs again. "I don't know, but you're so perfect." Okay, she's really drunk, but she can't find the words to explain herself. "Eventually, I'll be able to tell you why, but not right now."

"I look forward to it." The sober blonde nods, still feeling a fuzzy sort of sensation in her heart from Alex's words. The brunette's drunken slur makes her happier than any soppy quote from a book or a song would make her feel in a million years.

"When did you fall in love with me?" Alex enquires, feeling happy that she can actually say those words to Piper. The blonde answers without a second thought.

"That first night you held me, a total stranger and a bit of an asshole, and you just stroked my back and said she'd be proud of me. I needed to hear that." Piper admits, thinking back to that night. "It was the beginning of everything." She adds quietly. Alex considers this for a moment.

"I cried, you know." Is all she says.

"I know." Piper noticed, she always noticed. There was a shift, then, among the stars above them and in the bond between the pair. It's an admission that underneath all the flirting and fucking and bottles of champagne, Alex cares for Piper, and Piper knows. It's a good shift, it's daunting but it's good. They lay there for a moment more, breathing in dreams like air before Piper shivers. Wordlessly, Alex slipped her blazer off and covered the blonde with it. She doesn't pull back; Alex looks at Piper the sort of way every girl wants to be looked at and falls in love with her a bit more.

"You're the finest, loveliest, tenderest, most beautiful girl I have ever met, and that is an understatement." Alex grins sheepishly at her girlfriend.

"Gatsby?" Piper wonders, slipping her hands around the back of Alex's neck and pulling her onto the lounger.

"Gatsby." Alex admits, and their lips meet in a slow, enchanting kiss, moonlight casting a pale glow over their bodies as the couple slipped effortlessly into an intimacy from which they never recovered.

* * *

A/N: This was way longer than it was supposed to be, you all better appreciate! This is my favourite chapter so far, so please leave a review and tell me what you think. I love you all.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Hmm, I'm obviously not happy with having to write this, but it's necessary for the story. Firstly, I am very sorry. Secondly, angst is not my thing so it would be greatly appreciated if you could let me know what you think. Quick update because I have school all next week, so my updates may be spread out more. Thank you kindly.

* * *

They have a saying, those Catalans. Alex hears it in the voices of drunken men stumbling around the quiet streets, and she hears it from the ninety thousand people packed into the stadium. It goes like this,

_i s'ha demostrat, i s'ha demostrat,__  
__que mai ningú no ens podrà tòrcer._

At first, Alex has no idea what it means, but everyone's singing it from the rafters before the game along with a stream of other lyrics to some unknown tune. Piper knows it, too, but she just hums and drinks more beer. Alex drinks too, and eventually all the little figures on the pitch below them blur together and the pair hold their yellow and red flags a loft, chanting players' names and singing insults at the other team in slurred Catalan. Eventually, long after the streams of people disappear off into the shivering darkness of Barcelona and the couple are home in Piper's villa, sipping water by the pool, even though it's freezing.

"What does that song mean?" Alex asks suddenly after a tired silence was growing over them. Piper's in jeans, her trusty little pair of white converse and an oversized blue and claret jersey she'd randomly bought. There was a number eight on the back, and a name Alex couldn't pronounce. Alex's jersey is different, it's orange, with a ten on the back because she's actually heard of the guy who wears it, and her jeans are black as well as her boots. They should be cold, but they're not; they're drunk and Piper's curled into Alex's side. No, they're not cold; in fact they're lovely and cosy and warm. Perfect.

"It's like their pre game thing, I don't know." Piper fights to keep her eyes open, but it's a lost cause.

"That, line...um..." Alex rhymes off what she can remember of it and the blonde thinks for a moment before answering.

"It means something like 'we have shown that no one can ever break us'. Pretty deep for a pre game song." Piper mumbles, and Alex realises why it stuck with her. The words for us and break she already knew, so it makes sense. The brunette nods and hears a snore coming from her girlfriend. She laughs quietly, careful not to wake her however, and sets their glasses to the side. She lifts Piper, bridal style, and carries her all the way to bed, marvelling at how peaceful the blonde was while she slept. She looked so _young_; a tiny little smile on the corners of her lips and her eyelids shut; slow, even breaths coming from her chest and breathing warmth onto Alex's face. The brunette peels back the duvet and lays her girlfriend down softly, wondering if she's going to wake up and get changed or lie here in a jersey and jeans all night. Alex doesn't make an attempt to wake her, just takes the girl's converse off and changes into her own sleepwear, hugging the happily snoring blonde close to her chest and pulling the thick duvet over them. My God, she's so happy she could burst. There's not a single thing wrong with her life right now, save for her strained relationship with her mother, and she owes it all to Piper. The brunette kisses her girlfriend on the forehead, (Piper will never know she does so) and lets sleep pull her under, a grin on her red lips and a hopeful feeling in her bones.

* * *

Time passes quickly when you're with Piper Chapman. Months fly past, blurring with love and light and sex and alcohol, and countless cities across the world are visited by the couple. In London, they get up on a table, right in the middle of a bar and dance to that horrendously cheesy song; Milkshake. It's probably the most embarrassing thing either woman has been involved in, complete with shoulder brushes and ass shaking, but it's absolutely fucking _hilarious, _and neither of them mind when a video of it goes viral. At least they can remember it, now. In Rio de Janeiro, Piper rhymes off irrelevant verses of quiet poems in Alex's ear as she fucks her long and slow under the blistering heat of the Brazilian sun at a quaint little private beach. They were always short breaks, now, never as long as Barcelona, but they're filled with so much excitement and adventure that Alex loves them all the same. She turns twenty-four; Piper buys her a stunning painting and a charm for her watch, cooks her a meal that the pair eat in private on the rooftop, humid New York air almost suffocating them as the summer draws to a close. But forget all the gifts and dinners and apartments; it's just Piper that Alex wants.

And somehow, she gets her. Piper loves her, of course, but more than that, she chose Alex, day after day. Choice: that was the thing.

Piper gets richer, bolder and hopelessly more in love as summer turns into autumn. Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall, so Piper finally plucks up the courage to ask when the pair are sitting in the little park opposite her apartment. Alex is laughing at something Piper's said, drawing tiny circles on the blonde's hand when the age old question (well, sort of) finally spills from Piper's lips.

"Move in with me." She says, and Alex just stares at her with those sparkling green eyes like Piper's just said she's secretly a man. It's not a question, it's not really anything. It's just a series of words hanging between them on a thread. The brunette doesn't say anything for a while, just stares at their interlinked fingers before replying.

"Why?" It's not a rejection, but it's not acceptance either. Piper understands; Alex is obviously apprehensive about upping sticks and deserting Nicky.

"Because I miss waking up beside you." Piper says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. Oh, poor Piper misses her darling Alex in the mornings even though she sees her at work every day anyway and they stay over on weekends. It's immature, yes, but Piper thinks it's a damn good reason for Alex to move in.

"Is that it?" Apparently, Alex doesn't feel the same way.

"Well, I just thought it would be nice..." Piper Chapman doesn't often feel stupid, or naive, but she sure as hell does now. "Forget it." She snaps.

"_Piper." _Alex rolls her eyes at the blonde. "I didn't say no. I just...I don't know."

"Why not?" Piper says in a timid, apprehensive voice.

"What about Nicky, and my mom and my art..." Alex's excuses are weak, and Piper notices.

"Come on, Al. It'll be great. We don't spend enough time together." It's a lie, a complete lie; they spend their whole day in work together and most of their evenings. If they don't meet in person they talk on the phone. But Piper sees an opportunity to have more of Alex, to be with her girlfriend more often, and she'll be damned if she doesn't at least try to take it. Alex looks at the blonde then, her bright blue eyes filled with pleading and longing and her signature look of mischief is gone. She looks almost...fearful? Alex sees all of Piper's hopeless manifestations then; three years old with no father and a lousy doll as a Christmas present, eleven years old sitting at the back of a class room with a tattered book, her classmates whispering in hushed tones about the depraved, _spineless_ blonde in the corner, and eighteen years old on the floor of a deserted garage surrounded by broken beer bottles and tears dried on her soft skin. And now, twenty five and tragically in love, waiting for the love of her life to either desert her like everyone else or agree to stay. Alex s_hould_ say no; she barely sees Nicky enough as it is, she'll never get any work done if she's around Piper twenty four seven, and quite frankly her mother will have an aneurism if she finds out they're living together after about nine months. But then Alex looks in Piper's eyes (because it's _always_ the eyes) and she throws it all away anyway, because she loves Piper, and that's enough.

"Yes." Alex says, and that hopeless look in her girlfriend's face dissipates into absolute _disbelief._

"What?" Piper needs to hear it, just once more.

"I'll move in with you." Alex smiles, and it's one of those really wide grins she so rarely adorns, and she chuckles lightly when Piper narrows her eyes and smirks crookedly.

"Really?" Piper's wasn't even this disbelieving the time someone offered her ten million for a collection. Because this? Alex agreeing to live with her? It's fucking priceless.

"No. I lied." Alex winks sarcastically, inching closer to Piper on the little park bench. Piper slaps her on the arm.

"Don't joke about that." She cocks her eyebrows at the brunette.

"Piper Chapman, I would love to move in with you." Alex drawls, turning her body more towards Piper and capturing her lips in a sweet kiss, her hands cupping the blonde's face on both sides. It's a little awkward, but they make it work and Piper manages to recover enough to pull herself closer to the brunette, swinging her legs into Alex's lap and grappling with her jacket. Anyone could walk past, take a photo, but all that matters to Piper is the girl who's running her tongue along her lip, stroking her cheek with her thumb and kissing her as if she's everything.

Right then, Alex Vause is the only thing that matters to Piper Chapman.

Even when the kiss breaks and Piper finds herself overly emotional, hot tears stinging at her eyes, Alex is still there. She laughs, but it's a kind sort of laugh, as if to say "_Oh, Piper, when did you get so soft?" _But the brunette doesn't speak; she just ducks her head and looks up at Piper, brushing tears away from the cheeks of the girl in her lap. It starts raining, but they don't really care. Alex hugs her girlfriend close, Piper's tears staining the navy of her hoody, but Alex still stays.

"Why are you crying?" Alex whispers to the blonde cradled in her arms.

"I'm so happy." She mumbles, and the taller girl feels Piper grin against her chest. Alex laughs; she can't believe this isn't some surreal dream that she's bound to wake up from.

"You have a funny way of showing it, kid." She tells the blonde, who lifts her head from the confines of Alex's chest as the younger girl wipes another tear away. Piper's smiling though, _really_ smiling.

"Shut up." Piper whispers hoarsely, kissing Alex properly this time, hands pulling at the draw string's of Alex's hoody as her girlfriend's fingers weave into wet blonde locks. It's raining, hard, but they kiss sweetly, lovingly, their tongues dancing a well rehearsed routine as the pond beside them erupts with the heavy pelt of rain drops. It rains, but they still don't care.

* * *

"I'm moving out." Alex says blankly to her bushy haired best friend the next day.

"I know." Nicky's not sad, nor surprised, but she's wary. She likes Piper; the two struck an instant rapport, but Alex is changing. All she talks about, thinks about, knows about is Piper Chapman. Nicky will hardly notice she's gone, for she spends most of her time with the blonde. "What if it goes wrong?" She questions immediately.

"It won't." Alex scoffs; she and Piper haven't had a proper, full blown argument since the day the blonde came home from Milan.

"It will. It's unhealthy, Vause, you're like a drug to each other." Nicky's not being spiteful, she's looking out for her best friend. They may not notice, but she sees the way they look at each other, remembers the time Alex smashed a bottle over a bar because a customer looked at Piper the wrong way. In all Nicky's years of knowing the brunette, she'd _never _gotten violent like that. Not until she met Piper. And there had been nights when Alex waited up for Piper, who'd promised to come round but never did, because she was snowed under at work. Called Alex at maybe midnight to say she wouldn't be there, as if anyone would come round at that time? And every time, Nicky was there to pull a despondent Alex to bed and tell her, _"Maybe tomorrow, kid." _How would Alex cope during winter nights, cold and alone in the huge confines of Piper's apartment because the blonde wouldn't arrive home until after two. Make no allusions to the fact that Piper Chapman was still very much in love with her job, no matter how much she liked Alex.

"You say it like it's a bad thing." Alex has her arms folded, and Nicky rolls her eyes.

"God I hate your serious voice." Nicky quips and Alex wonders how it ever got to this point. Why can't people just fucking be happy for her? "Your mom know?" It's a low blow, but Nicky says it anyway.

"I'll tell her." Alex seethes, storming into her room to start packing. She'll tell her, but not right now.

* * *

Alex had once told Piper she'd become a morning person if she got to wake up beside the blonde all the time. She doesn't quite, but, damn, does she _love_ being woken up by Piper's soft lips on her chest, or her lips or between her thighs. Alex loves seeing Piper coming back from her run, soft skin glowing with sweat as she the blonde hauls her into the shower along with her every morning for the first month without fail. Except on Sundays, when they'll spend the day curled against each other with books or movies or TV and Alex will order pizza from this great place she knows, and it's absolutely blissful.

That is, up until the morning Piper leaves for her run and doesn't come back.

It's a Friday, and for some odd reason which Piper never explained, the offices are closed today. It's coming into October, leaves falling silently from trees as a grey sky covers New York City. Alex stirs of her own accord for the first time in weeks, and it's a really weird feeling not to have Piper next to her. It's fine, though; the blonde is probably just running for a bit longer considering she doesn't have to work. Alex lies on her back, staring up at the glossy ceiling and flexing each of her muscles one by one. They're sore; Piper had been _really_ into it last night, fucking Alex relentlessly for hours, as if to make sure she was really there, and for a long time she refused to let the brunette return the favour. Eventually she'd succumbed to Alex's touch and kisses on her neck, and soon enough she was repeating Alex's name like it was going out of fashion. The blonde had smiled sheepishly when Alex had whispered a smug "_told you so", _and the younger girl noticed not one thing out of place with her girlfriend. Indeed, even when Alex dozed off and woke up still alone half an hour later, she didn't worry _that_ much. She got up this time, intending just to send Piper a text. She could be in the apartment somewhere, but Alex just had a feeling she was alone. She groped around for her glasses, but her fingers instead fell on a piece of paper sitting on the bedside table. Alex looked at it curiously, eventually shoving her glasses on and peering at the elegant script written on the tiny square.

_Al, _

_It's today. I'll be home before lunch._

_I love you, always. X_

Alex doesn't even need to think about what _it_ is. No wonder Piper had been so passionate last night; the girl probably just needed to feel something other than the swirling darkness in her brain. The brunette already knows what's written on the page is a lie; Piper won't be home by lunch, she'll sit out there in the increasing cold of the cemetery all day unless someone (Alex) comes to her. She sighs quietly, wonders how to deal with this, and decides to give Piper another hour or two. Eventually though, she'll be there for her. Alex is always there.

* * *

"Hey, Mom." Piper scuffs her Nikes at the base of the grave as she speaks in a thick whisper. "It's been a while." The blonde hasn't visited since May, and she feels bad. "I miss you. A lot. Even after all this time. I'm still with Alex, we're living together. I think she's the one, Mom." Piper wipes angrily at the tears already starting to form. "I know you told me not to get stuck at home with some man, and even though I took that a bit literally, I'm still working hard. But, Alex... I dunno, she's just great, you'd love her. I don't think I'll ever leave her, Mom. They'll have to drag me away." Piper laughs, her voice breaking as she continues her soliloquy, asking how her mom's doing and telling her everything about the business. She doesn't get an answer, she hasn't got an answer in seven years, so she eventually just sits heavily beside the plain grey stone and traces her fingers over the gold lettering on the headstone. It's wearing away, much like Piper hopes the wounds on her heart will over time. But there still as fresh as they were the day she collapsed at her mother's lifeless, pale form. "I'm coping, Mom. I really am, Alex helps me cope. I wish you could meet her." Piper chokes out. She _hates _crying; she feels so weak and helpless and what good is it going to do anyway? Her mother isn't coming back any time soon. She also feels bad for talking about Alex because, _fuck,_ Mom always told her to go out and do something with her life, make a name for herself, be happy. Piper was all of these things, but her mother sure as hell never said anything about falling in love. To be honest, after seeing how her mother's love for her father turned out, Piper's pretty sure her mom didn't believe in silly notions like that.

"Is it okay for me to love Alex?" Piper softly asks the dormant stone by her head after a lengthy quiet. Now, more than ever, she wishes she could get an answer. But the silence is deafening, so Piper just cries a bit more. What time is it? The threatening sky above her doesn't answer that and neither does her mom, but Piper feels so heavy and weighed down that it doesn't even matter what time it is. It's all so unfair; Piper's mom isn't here and the blonde doesn't get to introduce her to Alex and it's just _shit._ Of course, Piper loves Alex. But she wants to do what her Mom had told her, wants to leave a legacy behind, make a difference in the world.

What Piper doesn't realise, is that if she focuses on doing that by throwing herself into work absolutely one hundred percent, the only significant difference in anyone's life she'll be making will be Alex's; she'll be fucking _destroying_ it. Piper _is _Alex's world, but why isn't that enough?

* * *

Alex finds her in that position, cross legged and tears streaming down her face at about two o'clock. The brunette wordlessly sits down beside her girlfriend, who jumps at her uninvited guest. She doesn't say anything as Alex hands her a little brown bag.

"What is this?" She asks quietly to the taller girl.

"Lunch." Alex encourages, nodding with a timid smile on her lips. Piper sniffles and opens the bag, a familiar smell wafting out.

"You bought McDonald's?" Piper laughs despite how shitty she feels. Alex just has that sort of effect on her. Piper's girlfriend nods and opens her own bag. It's absolutely fucking ridiculous; they're sitting in a deserted cemetery, Piper in sweaty running clothes and Alex in a leather jacket and combat boots, eating Big Macs without saying a word. But, my god, it's the best conversation Piper has had all day. "Thank you." Piper says after a while, and she's not just talking about the food. Alex fixes her glasses bashfully and shrugs.

"You don't have to thank me."

"Yes, I do, I never want to stop thanking you. I don't deserve you, Alex." Piper's getting emotional again.

"I know, but I'm doing my best." Alex says self-depreciatingly, as if Piper meant she deserved better.

"Oh, shut up. You know that's not what I meant. Jesus, Al, I actually just love you so much." Piper's shoulders sag, and it shouldn't be like this. She should be spending the day with her Mom, but that's the whole problem. Her mother is _gone;_ she can't spend time with her. So she lets Alex's comforting arms wrap around her, pulling her until she's sitting in the brunette's lap.

"You're too good for me, Pipes." Alex whispers in a thick voice to her girlfriend.

"I am _far_ from good for you." The blonde murmurs. The taller girl scoffs and tilts Piper's chin up with her fingers.

"Stop saying shit like that. You are everything, Piper, you're sweet and charming and kind and stunning, you're so much more than just beautiful, kid. You are about the only thing good in my life." Alex assures her, choking back her own tears. "Stop crying, please." She looks into the sparkling blue of Piper's eyes, swimming with tears and unsaid words, so the brunette kisses her girlfriend soundly on the lips, again and again until she responds, her arms wrapping tightly behind Alex's neck, holding on as if letting go will break her heart all over again. The kiss is desperate, but not in a sexual way; it's a desperate search, a confirmation that Piper's okay, she'll get through this. Alex gathers their brown bags in one hand and shifts her arm under Piper's calves before lifting the girl, picking her up along with the shattered pieces of Piper's heart and carrying her, much like she did in Barcelona, the short walk back to their apartment. She takes Piper away from all the hurt and confusion of the cemetery and lays her down softly, Piper refusing to let go of Alex for quite some time. As the blonde beside her lies quietly stroking up and down Alex's leather-clad forearm, the younger girl is reminded of that little quote in the song from Barcelona.

_We have shown that no one can ever break us._

They've cut it close, but they're still whole. Piper's broken at the minute, but their pieces still fit. They're okay.

* * *

Unbeknownst to either woman, the thing that will break them is calling Alex's phone throughout the whole weekend, an incessant vibration that Alex silences on Friday night and doesn't check again until Sunday. The pair spend three days absolutely wrapped up in each other, not even stepping over the threshold to the apartment. Piper doesn't even cook. But finally they're forced to face reality when a vociferous banging filters through to the two writhing bodies in bed. Alex stills her ministrations between Piper's legs; she'd ignore it, but the person is really fucking insistent. Tying her robe hastily and half running to the door, Alex opens it grumpily to see a dishevelled looking Nicky standing in the doorway. They'd patched things up, thankfully, and they even went on a double date a week ago.

"Nicky." Alex can't contain the surprise in her voice.

"Where. The. _Fuck h_ave you been?!" Nicky snarls, genuine anger seeping from every pore in her body. Alex grinds her teeth nervously as she considers her reply.

"I've been here. Look, Nicky." Alex speaks quietly and quickly to the incensed girl in front of her. "Piper's mom...it was the anniversary on Friday." Nicky's whole demeanour changes at the mention of the word _Mom. _Even more alarmingly, it turns to panic.

"Oh, Jesus, I'm going to be sick." Nicky whispers to herself, hands flying to her forehead. "When was the last time you spoke to your mom?" She hisses agitatedly.

"Like...before I moved here." Nicky's eyebrows rise incredulously. "Look, I know I said I'd tell her about moving in, but it's been so hard. Is she mad? Is that why you're here?" Alex is confused by the whole damn thing.

"Oh God, I can't believe this is happening." Nicky's pacing now, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Now, Alex is scared.

"Nicky, I suggest you tell me what's going on right now." Alex cries.

"I can't, oh _fuck I-"_ She's cut off by Alex gripping her by both the forearms and forcing Nicky to look into her panic-stricken eyes.

"Is she okay? Jesus, is she dead?!" Alex's eyes widen as she releases her grip on Nicky due to the bushy haired girl's flinch.

"_No!" _Nicky yells. "She's not dead." _**Yet.**_

"Then what's going on? Please, Nicky." Alex is sobbing now, pleading desperately for Nicky to come out with it; the smaller girl is never one to beat around the bush.

"Vause, I am so fucking sorry. She-" Nicky feels bile rising in her throat and a sob escapes her. "She was diagnosed with liver cancer on Friday. Jesus, _Jesus _I thought you knew and that's why you weren't answering and I'm so fucking sorry I had to be the one to tell you but you weren't answering your phone and..." She stumbles through a plethora of meaningless words that Alex doesn't hear. She doesn't notice Nicky running away, doesn't feel herself lash out at the lamp and slide down between the doorway, head against one side and knees tucked against her. Right then, Alex doesn't think she'll ever feel anything again.

* * *

Piper hears the crash come from the living area, and that's all it takes for her to run out, black robe billowing behind her as she sees the love of her life in a crumpled heap in the doorway. Alex isn't crying, she's just _sitting _there with a horribly vacant look in her eyes. And crushingly, devastatingly Piper knows that look. Because, eight years and two hundred days ago, she had the same look in her eyes when the Doctors told Piper her Mom was suffering from incurable breast cancer. Falling to her knees beside the brunette, Piper pleads with Alex to just fucking say anything, do anything; scream, cry, hit something, slap her, but please just do something. But Alex, for probably the first time since she met Piper, doesn't respond to her touch. She just _sits _there.

Finally, Alex Vause is broken, and neither her nor Piper is sure whether they'll still fit together.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, I know it's lazy to use cancer twice but the disease isn't really important. I'm dying to know what you guys think of this, and I am very sorry it has to get bad before it can get good again. Please review. x


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews, they make my day! This is by far the most difficult chapter I have ever written. I'm in the middle of my GCSEs and this is still the hardest thing I've ever done. So, I'm really not happy with it but I struggled through it and here it is. Sorry if you were expecting fluff and rainbows.

* * *

Alex still doesn't cry when Piper's pleading hands come to her shoulders now, shaking her numb form with pleading desperation and a frightful look in her eyes.

"Alex?! Jesus,_ Alex!" _Her voice gets impossibly higher; Piper's looking at Alex's eyes, but she's not _seeing_ anything, there's just a horrible blankness in the usually sparkling jade irises. The blonde's fingers dig into the satin-clad shoulders of her girlfriend, certainly hard enough to cause pain, but Alex just fucking sits there. _She's in shock. _Piper realises eventually, and she knows then that whatever's happened is not some materialistic problem like artwork being stolen or anything like that. Someone, perhaps Nicky or her father or, God forbid, her mother, (whom Alex hasn't had a proper conversation with in months) has clearly been in an accident or gone missing or..._died?_ Piper freezes, releasing the pressure on Alex's shoulders abruptly. Her face drops, her heart thumps deafeningly loudly in her ears, and she stands on shaky feet.

Alex still doesn't cry.

Piper stumbles back to the bedroom, leaving the immobile brunette in the doorway. A cold sweat engulfs her and she turns Alex's phone on with shaky fingers. She hasn't been this scared since she was a teenager, and it's the not knowing what's going on that sets her on edge. Piper's used to knowing, always knowing, because not knowing means she's not in control, and that's exactly when everything starts to go to hell. So that's why she unlocks Alex's phone (her password may or not have been changed to 6969 by Piper as a slightly drunken 'prank' one evening in Vienna) and nervously scroll through the contacts. She taps the screen, takes a deep breath. Takes another one. Presses call.

* * *

Alex had often wondered about the old cliché of total numbness. I mean, surely she should be screaming, crying, lashing out, but this whole notion of doing absolutely nothing is starting to grate on her. It's a strange sensation, because she sees herself sitting stock still in the doorway, but she can't see through her own eyes nor hear the steady coursing of blood through her veins. There's just... _nothing._ It's better, she supposes, than remembering her mother's dying, yet Alex has ignored her all weekend (not intentionally, however). So she sits, she waits for something, _anything_ to rouse her from this perpetual state of emptiness. And finally, in the form of a strangled sob and the sound of a phone hitting the floor, it comes to her.

Because, while every nerve ending in her body may be numb, the sound of Piper crying is absolutely impossible to ignore.

Alex gets to her feet blankly and her feet carry her to the bedroom seemingly of their own accord. Piper's not crying, actually; she just has one hand over her mouth and the other twisted in the hair at the top of her hair. She's not numb, though, she feels the pain of Alex's predicament crash into her in all too familiar fashion and it threatens to pull her right back into that terrifying abyss she'd taken two years to get out of. But she doesn't, she grits her teeth and whips around at the sound of someone in her bedroom. _Alex._ Piper almost sags with relief at the sight of the tall brunette on her feet, before she remembers the severity of the situation. Alex's face is agonising; her bottom lip is jutting out a little and her eyebrows are set in such an innocent way as if to say _'Please, someone tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do?!'. _Her green eyes sparkle with unshed tears and she plays nervously with her ring finger, looking like a child awaiting a scolding from her parents.

"Al. I am so, _so_ sorry." Piper whispers, and that's what finally breaks the dam. The brunette falters slightly, goes to speak, to ask _Why?! Why are you sorry? Why is this happening? _But all that comes out is a choked out little sob as she collapses into Piper's strong arms. Alex is more than broken, she's wrecked, and it's only been fifteen minutes since the news was delivered. Piper's never been one for fixing anything but herself, but she'd rather die before she gives up on Alex Vause.

* * *

For a while, it's okay. They haven't tried to fit back together again, though, not really. Piper doesn't kiss Alex as hard or whisper unrepeatable promises under the moonlight in Alex's ear. And Alex's moans are quieter somehow; they're both _cautious._ Piper loves her even more, though, and hugs her girlfriend a little tighter just to try and make her broken pieces stick together again. And Alex absolutely can never thank her enough, the girl who brought her to Jersey that Sunday evening to see her mother and snuck in during the night to Alex's old bedroom, just to stroke her raven locks soothingly while Alex sobbed into the traumatic darkness. Piper was supposed to be staying elsewhere, because it was probably bad enough that her mother was ill; she did not need the added stress of Alex's girlfriend around. But, as she so often did, the blonde tore the rule book up and threw it out the window she crawled in through at about four in the morning, just to _hold_ Alex. So, it would be fair to say that Piper absolutely, irrevocably loved Alex, and Alex totally, completely loved Piper. And, yes, they're utterly in love, but that's not always enough.

* * *

The first time, Piper chooses Alex. She goes to Jersey rather than going to work until Alex is ready to come back to New York. The brunette insists on working, obviously, but Piper lets her go home early a lot. Piper, though, often has an extra coffee at the end of the day. She tells herself it's just to give her a little boost, but somewhere deep down in her horribly fucked up soul she knows it's because seeing Alex without that fire in her eyes and confident smirk on her face is absolutely killing her. But she goes home eventually, cooks Alex dinner, asks if she's okay.

"Sure."The brunette usually pretends with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes and a nervous readjustment of her glasses.

And Piper pretends to believe her. Things are far from perfect, but they're trying. Surely, one day, they'll wake up and Alex's smile will be wider and Piper's cockiness will return and they'll go back to the passionate, blissful way it was before, right?

And that's not to say it doesn't come in flashes. When Piper takes her girlfriend dancing on the older girl's birthday, for instance. She gives the brunette a scintillating private lap dance complete with grinding and swearing and sweating and fixes the younger girl up with a drink or four, and it's absolutely fantastic in fact, like the way it was before; Alex pulls Piper's bare legs flush around her waist and fucks the blonde hard and rough while biting her neck right there in the middle of the darkened little room. Piper returns the favour eagerly when they're home, with sure, familiar strokes inside of the brunette that for a moment make her remember what she's been missing out on. But, like the dance, it's all an act, and when they wake up the next morning Alex lapses back into the introverted shell Piper is so desperate to pull her from. She's running out of options, though, and quickly.

* * *

So she chooses Alex, again. Takes her to Milan this time, back to Barcelona, to Madrid, Lisbon, Munich, even fucking _Tahiti. _Lavishes her with gifts, kisses and reassuring words on the dark days that it'll be okay, her mom can do it. It's absolutely bullshit; Piper had visited once while the ailing woman was asleep, and my God she'd looked worse than Piper's mom when she was just four months away. She isn't getting better, but Piper pretends anyway.

"So... how does she look?" Alex enquires nervously while the blonde tries desperately to hide her distraught expression.

"Better than mine did." Piper lies awkwardly, hot tears stinging her eyes but earning her a grateful sigh from Alex anyway and the arm around the blonde's waist tightens happily.

"I'm sorry, Pipes." Alex says, wincing at how relived her sigh had sounded. It's an awful, twisted thing to be relieved about, but that's what cancer does to you. It ruins everyone involved, not just the person it's killing. It's ruining Alex, it's ruining Piper and it's ruining their relationship. They keep pretending, though.

* * *

In a dreary March day in London, Piper's working vigorously on her laptop (as she so often seems to be these days) when Alex gets another call. The faint sound of taxis and buses from the city centre are interrupted by the incessant noise of Alex's ring tone. Piper doesn't even flinch; all she ever hears is that fucking ringtone with some other little WASPy family member calling the brunette for updates, causing Alex to hang up after a tense conversation, sigh quietly and draw impossibly further into herself. Piper's past the point of caring about what generic condolences Alex's family have to offer, and she's sick of how it's making her girlfriend feel. So, when the phone rings, Piper ignores it and carries on with work she doesn't need to be doing, but she sort of prefers it to the alternative right now. Not that she'd admit that to anyone; not even herself.

Alex is pulled from her novel (that she's read cover to cover twice since they got here) by the call. It's an unknown number, a New York one, so it's nothing to do with her mother. Alex feels slightly relived by that, before feeling absolutely disgustingly guilty for being relieved.

"Hello?" She answers in a tired, rough voice. London hasn't been good so far; it's just fucking _raining_ all the time, and the British are 'bloody arseholes' as they'd put it, and Alex just wants to go home. To New York, that is. She misses home, she misses Piper, she misses this time last year. All of it.

"Is this Alex Vause?" A woman with a pleasant voice asks.

"Yeah, that's me." She replies blankly.

"Miss Vause. We have a little proposition for you." She can practically hear the sly grin over the phone, and for the first time in months, a familiar feeling of excitement coils in Alex's stomach. She slip out of the room, grinning, to take the call in private. If Piper had been paying attention, she'd of seen the delightful smirk she's been trying to put on Alex's face for so long now. But the blonde doesn't even register that Alex has left the room.

* * *

"Oh my FUCKING GOD!" Alex squeals when she hangs up, jumping on the spot and fist pumping right in the middle of the hotel corridor. She's alone, and she's laughing, grinning like an idiot; if anyone saw her right now they'd take her straight to the psych ward. _Piper._ The blonde's ignorance for the past few days is ignored as Alex bounds back into the room.

"Piper!" She cries happily. The blonde glances up from her phone.

"Yeah?" She questions before looking back down. The doctor has probably called with some bullshit like 'good news' that will only serve to break Alex's heart further when the inevitable takes place.

"I got some good news, baby." Alex drawls, ignorant to Piper's rather bored expression. Piper's about to roll her eyes, but the nickname on the end catches her attention.

"_Yeah?" _A devilish grin involuntarily worms onto Piper's face and she cocks her left her eyebrow. _Please, please let this be good._

"Mm-hm." The brunette struts rather sexily over to her girlfriend who stands to meet her. Alex's hands slip around her waist and Piper lazily rests hers behind the taller girl's neck.

"And what good news would that be?" She husks, and finally, _fucking finally_ that knee-weakening, panty-soaking smirk comes onto Alex's face. If Piper wasn't so turned on she'd probably scream with joy.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Alex flirts back, raising her eyebrows mischievously for a moment.

"Maybe." The blonde breathes, her eyes glinting and her tongue pressed against her left cheek.

"Well then." Alex's fingers drum on the exposed skin above the waistband of Piper's leggings. "_Maybe _I just got an offer for one of my pieces to be displayed at a little exhibition in New York." Alex's eyes flash and her smile gets a little wider.

"How little is this exhibition?" Piper questions, because in New York there's no such thing as little.

"Fucking huge, Pipes." Alex laughs breathily at her girlfriend's eyes widening.

"Where?"

"This quaint little place, I can hardly remember the name..." The brunette teases, pretending to think about it for a moment.

"_Alexxx." _Piper warns, narrowing her eyebrows.

"Some place called the Museum of Modern Art, ever heard of it?" Alex would continue with her sarcastic bantering, but she's cut off by the rather pleasant taste of Piper's lips on hers. The blonde kisses her, hard, but pulls back almost straight away.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" She cries delightedly, a megawatt smile adorning her face and her eyebrows raised.

"I swear. For like a two week display thing they're doing." Alex nods happily.

"I am so fucking proud of you, Al." Piper can't hide the pride in her voice; all the shit that's been going on for months has finally cleared (although who knows for so long) and they pair are genuinely happy as the blonde engulfs her girlfriend in a warm hug.

"Thanks." Alex says from beside Piper's ear, blushing at the sudden show of affection.

"When is it?" Piper enquires when they pull back after quite a long time of just holding each other happily rather than the holding each other together that's been happening too often recently.

"Friday." It's currently Wednesday afternoon in London, so they haven't got _that_ much time. Piper gasps.

"We need to go shopping!" The blonde exclaims loudly.

"No." Alex's expression hardens and she shakes her head adamantly.

"Why?" Piper questions, alarmed at her girlfriend's sudden change in demeanour.

"There's something else I'd rather do." Alex murmurs before tightening her hold on Piper's waist and capturing the blonde's lips in a searing, passionate kiss. Piper kisses her back, she _chooses _Alex over work again. It's the last time she does so.

* * *

"One more!" The photographer encourages before the flashing of his camera blinds the couple momentarily. Piper links her hand with Alex's as they turn to the curator.

"Thanks again, Red." Alex smiled nervously at the bespectacled lady on the other side of the painting.

"Don't mention it, kid." She said gruffly, before adding. "You have a talented one here, blondie."

"Hmm, tell me about it." Piper agreed smugly, and Alex blushed slightly at the obvious innuendo. The paring bid goodbye to the Russian lady as she moved onto the next panting in the exhibition. Piper and Alex turned to face the younger girl's work.

"She's right, you know." Piper mused.

"About?"

"The talent."

"Are you talking about my drawing skills or the other things my fingers can do?" Alex quipped under her breath.

"Both." Piper laughs and squeezes Alex's hand. The past two days have been their happiest in months; Alex hasn't been miserable and Piper hasn't been working and they've certainly made up for lost time when it comes to the bedroom. Even now, Alex's thighs are burning a little and Piper has one hell of a crook in her neck. It's a fucking wonderful sort of pain. They're grinning like a pair of idiots in front of the painting, and they're happy. It's coming into April; the weather's getting warmer, things are looking up, but the small fact that Alex's mother is going to die hangs rather ominously over them. Like usual, someone, somewhere, is counting down.

* * *

Alex briefly wonders how the bottle ran dry so quickly. She wonders why there's not more vodka in a multi-millionaire's home, but then she remembers she drank it all. Then, she remembers it doesn't even matter, because her mother's not responding to treatment anymore. The only thing that matters?

Her mother is going to die. They don't know how soon, or why the chemo's not working, but her mother's going to die. The shimmering of the clear water calls invitingly to the inebriated brunette. Where the hell did that come from? Whose pool is that? A shock of blonde hair crosses her mind. _Piper._ Piper matters too, she supposes. Where is she? It's getting late, after seven and she still isn't home. Oh well. Alex is big enough and brave enough to look after herself, right? Except, here she is, absolutely drunk beyond belief standing in front of the pool in Piper's apartment block. _Her _apartment block. Alex lives here, too. In fact, for the last week it's been more her home than Piper's. The blonde seems to spend most of her time in the office buildings these days. But what difference does it make? Even if she was here, nothing would change.

Alex's mother is still going to die.

She's going to die anytime soon, completely and utterly out of the blue, spiting Alex for _still_ being with Piper. But she loves her, that's the thing. Alex is in love with Piper, and it's going to end up killing her. Why isn't she here?

_She promised to look after you. She promised to make it up to your mom. She fucking lied. She's not here, she doesn't care about you; you're burdening her with your problems. Putting her through the sorrow of a parent dying from cancer again? You sick, twisted bitch._

Alex is numb again; her mind's spinning but she can't feel a damn thing. She inches closer to the water. Sits down rather clumsily at the edge, sweatpants getting soaked in the water as it reaches to her knees. Alex wonders how deep it is. She loves swimming; she remembers how her mother once forced her to take classes with the older kids, and she hadn't been able to keep up. She'd hated it then. But when Piper took her swimming in Brazil, skinny dipping during a starry, humid night at their private little beach, Alex had loved it then; moonlight spilling over the infinite, navy ocean and illuminating the two bodies dotting the horizon as one figure, bare arms wrapped around each other and water reaching slightly above their breasts as they kissed slowly, leisurely, _lovingly_. She remembers that, and it's what stops her from slipping into the pool she knows is over two metres deep. It's not her mother; it's the blonde currently bursting into the pool room, still in the clothes she wore to work, minus the four inch heels. Alex tries to stand, but the sudden noise of the door almost coming off her hinges breaks the calm serenity of the room and startles her. The bottle of vodka slips from her grip first, and suddenly everything tilts. _It's so fucking bright in here._ Alex notes as she follows the alcohol bottle into the surprisingly warm water of the pool. It's not quite a beach in Brazil, but it'll do.

* * *

"Are you trying to fucking kill yourself?!" Piper bellows, pacing the bedroom back and forth. It's morning now. Alex had been pulled out by the blonde almost immediately after she'd fallen in.

"I didn't mean to, Piper." Alex insists; it's the fucking truth. She swears she was getting up but Piper's sudden intrusion had startled her.

"Didn't fucking look like that to me." Piper's angry with herself more, selfish fucking bitch that she is. She needs to stop making excuses; either she leaves Alex and lets her get sorted out or she steps the fuck up and takes responsibility. This cowardly hiding behind her work that's been going on for a few weeks needs to fucking stop.

Yes, it needs to, but that doesn't mean it will.

"Well I fucking wasn't okay? I would _never _do that to you, to my mom..." Alex's voice involuntarily catches in her throat and Piper's expression softens.

"I know, I know." The blonde comes back over to the hungover girl sitting on the edge of the bed. "Here, come with me." Piper extends her hand suddenly to her rather confused girlfriend. Alex takes it, too hungover to refuse. She wants to stay in bed, she really wants to, but she's missed Piper.

The blonde leads them to the big room that Alex loves, with the big windows and the bed and the mini fridge and the world map. It's different in the daytime though; like most things nowadays it's not quite so enchanting or magical. It's just...normal. Rather abruptly, Piper takes her shirt off.

"Woah, Pipes, I'd love to but I'm not feeling so hot." Alex frowns but the blonde just rolls her eyes.

"Get your mind out the gutter, Vause." She shakes her head and laughs quietly. "Turn around." She commands, and Alex turns to face the big map on the wall and the desk. Alex is suddenly engulfed in darkness and the familiar smell of vanilla fills her nostrils as Piper ties the t shirt around her eyes. The brunette's confused, but she obeys as Piper guides her to where she presumes is in front of the map. The older girl squares off Alex's shoulders before pressing something slim and long in her hand. "Throw." Piper coaxes. Alex isn't really sure what the hell is in her hand, so she hurls it like a football towards the wall. Piper guffaws beside her, and suddenly Alex is laughing too. She hears footsteps walking towards where she threw to, and then returning. "You fucking idiot." Piper's velvety laugh interrupts her as she tries to calm herself. "I mean like a dart, for fuck sake. It's a dart, Al."

"Oh, right." Alex is blushing underneath the blindfold as she imagines a dart player throwing darts like American Footballs. She rolls the dart around in her fingers before throwing it more accurately this time, obviously intending to pierce the wall in front of her (not that she has any idea what for). Piper takes the blindfold off giddily and Alex blinks to readjust to the lighting in the room as the blonde strides over to the map her girlfriend has just put a hole through.

"Come look." Piper beckons with a finger. The brunette peers at the point on the map where the dart has pierced; miraculously, it's found land. Europe.

"Nice choice." Piper smirks at the bemused girl beside her.

"What does this mean?"

"We're going to Paris, sweetheart." Piper drawls.

"Pipes..." Alex rolls her eyes. "I can't." The blonde was expecting that. She puts on her best bambi eyes, blue irises sparkling with a practiced innocence and her full bottom lip pouting slightly.

"Please, baby. It'll be fun; you need to clear your head. Get away from it all." She pleads with her smoothest, most persuasive voice.

"My mom..." Alex stops mid sentence as Piper leans into her ear and runs her fingers tantalisingly up the inside of her thigh.

"I promise I'll make it worth your while." The blonde breaths hotly into Alex's ear, trailing wet kisses down her jaw line and onto her neck. Her fingers rub Alex slowly over the flimsy material of her shorts, and about the only coherent though Alex can muster falls from her lips

"Yes. Paris." She breathes, moaning huskily as the manipulative blonde smirks against the hot skin of Alex's neck.

* * *

Paris starts well, actually. Piper's laptop stays firmly in her bag along with her phone as she tosses Alex on the bed and follows through on her promise, making her climax twice with her fingers before one more earth-shattering orgasm is brought about by her mouth. It's the last time she does so. Alex gets one in, making Piper cum with three fingers entering her desperately and the blonde's breathy moans in her ear. It's the last time she hears them.

"I love you." Piper says quietly afterwards as the stress of the long flight catches up to them.

"I love you too." Alex sighs contently as a deep sleep overcomes the pair wrapped up in each other's arms, Piper's head on Alex's warm chest as usual. It's the last time they fall asleep together.

The next day they go sightseeing, to the Eiffel Tower, to the Louvre, to Notre Dame. Piper takes her girlfriend out to a quiet little cafe on the corner beside their apartment and holds her hand across the dinner table, gazing into the enchanting green of Alex's eyes. It's the last time she sees only love there, the last time they go to dinner together. Piper pays, obviously, and it's the last thing she buys for Alex. They walk back hand in hand (for the final time), doing the whole idle conversation thing that Piper has grown to love most about Alex. They talk about art, and the brunette has that hopeful look in her eyes that Piper remembers from the very first day in her office. It's the most beautiful thing, to watch someone speak about their passion, it absolutely enthrals her. It's the last time she's allowed to indulge in it, though. They enter the apartment happily, feeling quite unbreakable if they're both being honest. Things are really good. Piper is halfway through taking her jacket off when her phone rings. Alex sighs despondently as the blonde grimaces at the caller ID. It's John, which means something is seriously awry at work.

"I'm sorry." Piper apologises. "I'll catch you up." She kisses Alex on the cheek for the last time as the brunette nods. It's a lie, the last one she tells her. Piper calls him back and sits down at her laptop heavily, knowing it's going to be a long night as her girlfriend pads off to bed alone. Piper never makes it to bed that night.

"You didn't come to bed last night." Alex says to the blonde still hunched over her laptop in her dress from yesterday with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand.

"Tell me something I don't know." Piper snaps angrily, the jetlag and lack of sleep contributing to her temper as she tries to sift through the insurmountable amount of bullshit landed on her.

"Alright, asshole." Alex returns.

"You finished?" Piper says blankly.

"You know what? I think I might be."

"Good." Piper doesn't register the loud bang of her apartment door for a while as Alex angrily takes to the streets to clear her head. A few minutes later, the blonde realises her predicament and slams her laptop shut. Did she just inadvertently piss off her girlfriend who'd almost drowned three days ago? She thinks she might have, but soon she just passes out right there on the sofa and none of it matters anyway.

* * *

Alex understandably pauses for a moment's reflection outside the apartment door three hours later. She's about to ruin the only thing that's good in her life right now. She's about to break Piper's heart, her own heart, lose her job, her home and the only girl she's ever loved. She's about to betray Piper's trust, all over a petty argument. But then she thinks of her mother, lying in a hospital bed with death staring her in the face, and Alex remembers it's not over a petty argument. She's here, in fucking Europe while her mother is at home in Jersey. _Dying._ And that's all the encouragement Alex needs to walk briskly into the apartment and ruin her life.

"Piper." A raspy, stern voice rouses the sleepy blonde from her position on the sofa.

"Al." She smiles tiredly through blurred eyes at the rather pissed off girl in front of her.

"Don't." Alex snaps, folding her arms.

"Don't what?" Piper asks confusedly, sitting upright on the red leather sofa and narrowing her eyes at the girl in front of her.

"Call me that." The brunette deadpans. Piper's eyes widen then.

"Is this about earlier? Look-"

"No, Piper." Alex interrupts rather exasperatedly. "It's about everything. It's about you dragging me out here when you saw things getting heated, running away like you fucking always do."

"You agreed to come out here with me!" Piper cries incredulously. _What the fuck is going on?!_

"No, I refused, and then you manipulated me with your eyes and your lips and your hands and your body like you fucking always do." Alex repeats the last line more venomously than before.

"Are you calling me a whore?" Piper whispers, standing to her feet and folding her own arms.

"Jesus." Alex scoffs. "_No. _I'm going home, Piper." She gets right to the point, at least, Piper will give her that.

"Al, I can't go with you." Piper's voice is pleading now. They can't leave; Piper may have taken Alex here for a break but they're in Paris for God's sake, there's always money to be made.

"You weren't invited." Alex says coldly. Inside, her heart is shattering but she manages to keep herself composed.

"What? You- you're leaving me?! No. No you fucking are not." Piper's voice is disbelieving, she's not yelling quite yet. Clearly Alex is just feeling over emotional again.

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be. I'm sorry-"

"You're not fucking sorry, Alex!" Piper interrupts. Oh, she's yelling now. "This is you choosing to leave me?! Because of your mom? Fuck no."

"Piper, _please." _Alex unfolds her arms. "My mother is _dying." _

"Exactly!" The blonde screams. "You can't fucking do this alone!"

"Don't fucking tell me that. I wouldn't have almost drowned if I was alone on Tuesday." It's cold, it's unfair and it's a total lie, but she says it anyway.

"No, you're right." Piper nods sarcastically. "You _would_ have drowned." Alex is speechless, but technically Piper's right.

"You put me in that position!" Alex splutters; she's losing her footing, fast.

"No, Alex. You did that of your own accord. I don't blame you, just please let me help you. I know what it's like!" Piper tries again to no avail.

"No you fucking don't!" Alex shouts back. "A parent dying from cancer isn't something you can just put a formula on, Piper! It's not some sort of scenario that can be solved with the same method every time, you can't play with someone's life like that! This is life and death, Piper." The brunette explains harshly, and the older girl is taken aback.

"So you're too prideful to let me help you?!" Piper seethes, absolutely enraged by what's going on. "Going home isn't going to make your mom get better!"

"Well it sure as hell isn't going to make her get any worse." It's a ridiculous thing to say.

"Yes, it is, Alex, because there's nothing you can do to stop it."

"Fuck off." Alex scoffs again, and it's starting to really piss the blonde off. "You can just go back to your work, anyway, considering you seem to choose that over me all the time."

"Alex!" Piper runs her hands over her face; she needs coffee, alcohol, sleep, but mostly she just needs Alex to stay. "Yes, I know I work a lot, but my work is a choice! You...you're" Piper struggles to get the words out. "Inevitable to me."

"No, Piper." Alex shakes her head sadly. "The only thing that's inevitable is death. _Dying_ is the only certainty for every single person on the planet; it's the only inevitable thing. Everything else, me, you, us? They're choices, Piper. I am a choice. And you chose wrong. I can't live with you like this." And Alex wills, pushes, prays to God that Piper will choose her one last time. All she needs to say it "_Yes, I'll give it up, I choose you." _

"Why?" Is what the blonde says instead.

"Because you are obsessed, power hungry, egotistical and it is ruining everything good about your life!" Alex's mind is made up now, she's going. She can't do it.

"God you are such a naive asshole sometimes!"

"I'm an asshole?! My mother is dying and all you care about is your fucking laptop!" The brunette snaps.

"What do you want me to do? Stroke your hair and tell you it'll all be fine?" She scoffs. "All I can see,

Alex, is your fucking sadness tearing you apart inside, and it is killing me because I can't fucking do anything but tell you I love you. I love you, Alex, why isn't that enough?!" Piper's voice cracks; any of her words now could be the last she ever says to the brunette.

"I'm in love with you so much Piper, that it's destroyed me. It's ruined my relationship with my mom, with Nicky, and it's probably going to ruin the rest of my life." Piper's crying now, and Alex bites her lip. It's really over.

"Stay." Piper begs. "Don't give up on this."

"I'm not giving up, Piper." She pleads. "I just know I've had enough. It's not healthy."

"But I love you." The blonde says thickly through her tears.

"And that's exactly why I have to go."

"Please don't leave." Piper's voice cracks in the middle and she looks pleadingly up at the love of her life from across the coffee table, last night's mascara streaming down her face. She looks positively beautiful, Alex thinks. The brunette doesn't say anything. A single tear rolls down her cheek before she turns on her heel, picks up the suitcase she'd packed while Piper was asleep and walks out on the best thing that's ever happened to her.

It's a sweltering, scorcher of a day that she steps into, and Alex Vause is alone.

It's a cold, unwelcoming floor that she collapses onto, and Piper Chapman is ruined.

* * *

A/N: Shout out to the reviewers who wanted them to get through it. Sorry, but you have to remember how volatile and passionate their relationship is; Alex is only twenty-four after all. Plus, I've had this story line in my head for a long time, just trust me with it. Leave a review and let me know what you think because I'm not sure this was emotional enough.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: This was very, _very_ hard to write. There's little to no dialogue, and not much develops with regards to their relationship until Piper's phone call at the end. As always, thank you for all your incredible reviews and the insane feedback on the last chapter! I'd appreciate the same for this one; it would be interesting to know how you think I've sort of...'handled' this one.

* * *

It's worse than when her mother dies. It's so much worse. Because she's _really _alone; there were friends and family affected by the death of her mom. But _this?_ This is her own solitary loneliness pinning her to the unforgiving Parisienne floor.

On one side of her unmoving form lies Piper's broken heart, torn from her body, trampled, kicked, _ruined_ by Alex, and the blonde doesn't even attempt to put herself back together. She's nothing; she's twenty-six and as frightfully alone the bedraggled homeless man she often sees in the street. She wishes she was stronger, but her walls have been well and truly obliterated and lie in tatters beside her. On the other side, that fucking laptop sits, not making a sound yet managing to be absolutely deafening. It's not the laptop, per se; it's symbolic of the other side of Piper. The power hungry, ruthless narcissist is in pieces too; there's no way she can ever face going back to work. It will only serve to remind her of what she once had, and what she has lost.

There's an emptiness suffocating Piper, like air; it floats around unseen, but she knows it's there. She doesn't move. The floor is cold and scratched in places, a little like her soul.

* * *

"She left you." It's the first words Alex has heard her mother say in months.

"No." She whispers hoarsely, her throat hoarse from crying and the violent scream that had ripped through her throat when she awoke from her nightmare. Devastatingly, Alex had woken up to something far more disturbing; she was alone. Piper was not in her bed, she was in New Jersey in her tiny old bedroom, sweating and crying violently. _Alone. _Really, it wasn't her lonesomeness that affected her most, it was the draining feeling of being lonely. She'd woken up on her own the night previously, but Piper was still _there_, technically. But at four o'clock in the morning on a pitch dark night, Alex Vause is utterly lonely.

"No?" The frail woman in the kitchen questions, stirring her tea thoughtfully. Diane Vause doesn't sleep much these days. She saves it for the long days in hospital beds, willing the time to both slow down and speed the hell up so she can just get away from the absolute agony that engulfs her day by day.

"No." Alex repeats, wishing she could still be asleep. At least then she doesn't have to deal with the crippling guilt coursing through her veins and tearing viscously at her very being. But the nightmares plagued her relentlessly; on the plane home she'd woken with a start into the concerned, soft features of an air hostess and Alex noticed that her clothes stuck to her with sweat and tears stained her cheek.

Alex's heart isn't broken; it thumps loudly in her chest, begging to return to the girl that it beats for.

"You left her?!" Her mother sounds surprised, as if it's inexplicable that Alex would be the one doing all the hurting. Alex would like to deny it, and say that they're fine, but the fact she has bags under her eyes despite being twenty-four and she hasn't smiled in days is probably a dead giveaway.

"I didn't have a choice." It's a lie. Hadn't she only two days ago given Piper a lecture about there _always_ being a choice, except in death? At least the brunette can add fucking hypocrite to her list of things that make her an asshole. Alex leaves the dimly lit kitchen then and retreats pathetically back to her darkened bedroom.

She goes to bed anyway, because the unclear moon and hidden stars are all she has left. When the sun rises, Alex will move into another day of terrifying loneliness. At least the night sends her to sleep with brutal thoughts and feelings she can escape from. When she wakes, all the pain and hurt she's causing is agonisingly real.

* * *

A week passes. As she so often does, Piper finds solace in alcohol. It takes a lot, but she drags herself to her feet a few hours after Alex abandons her and stumbles to the little cupboard with her alcohol, taking bitter, stinging swigs of vodka until she can't feel anything but the dull throbbing in her head, can't see anything but the tilting swirl of colours in front of her. And for a week, she isn't fully sober. Not once. At first, Piper does it to just feel nothing, but sometimes when she drinks _just_ the right amount, she can think about Alex without wanting to sob or lash out or just end everything. She remembers Brazil, Spain, England, but mostly New York. Those lazy Sundays spent with sunlight invading their privacy through the little slit in the curtain as the paring just lay and whispered sweet nothings to each other, back and forth for hours upon hours. Piper could go home, to New York, but she doesn't; she can't. The only place she feels at home these days is locked inside Alex's warm embrace. Suddenly, she has a lot more in common with the homeless man than she thought.

It's a strange morning when Piper sit slumped against the wall of her shower, disappointingly sober. She does something almost more unprecedented than falling in love; she picks up her phone and calls Lorna. The water is long turned off, pooling around her naked form that shivers but doesn't feel the cold. Piper doesn't feel much now, apart from the constriction of her chest and pounding in her head when she wakes up from her alcohol infused dreams of a perfect life with Alex. That's the hardest part; the waking up and realising her heart is still broken and wondering if Alex was ever really there at all.

"Close the offices." Piper's voice is rough and alien to her when Morello picks up.

"Piper? Where are you?" She questions intently, her thick accent prominent through the phone. Piper almost smiles at her friend's show of concern. Almost.

"Doesn't matter. Just close them until further notice. It's not a question, Morello." Piper's head lolls back against the cold tiling of the shower, her blonde hair in need of a cut, water dripping pathetically from the countless split ends.

"Wait- Piper, please! We're really worried about you." Lorna insists. Piper scoffs, wants to say _"Well why aren't you here then?"_

"Who's we?" Piper asks before she really thinks about it.

"Me, Nicky, A-" She stops herself abruptly; she's said too much. Even the first syllable of _her_ name almost makes Piper drop the phone. But, she holds on. She's just about holding onto everything right now.

"_What?"_ She whispers angrily. What the _fuck_ gives Alex any right to worry about Piper? She's the one who left, after all.

"No... she... I don't know how she feels, but she came by yesterday and she seemed pretty... fucked up." Lorna admits, afraid of what Piper will do if she lies.

"You should see the other girl." Piper seethes, hanging up coldly. She wants to hate Alex, absolutely despise her for leaving, _abandoning_ her. It would be so much easier to hate Alex Vause, but she doesn't; she could never. Hell, the blonde is still irrefutably in love with Alex, even more so than she was a week ago. No, what Piper hates, what Piper cannot fucking accept, is the fact that Alex isn't _here. _Piper cannot come to terms with the fact that she's so fucked up and so much of an asshole that she managed to push away the girl who'd promised not to leave. Piper hates herself then, the shivering, pathetic mess she's become. She hates the tyrannous, egotistical _bitch_ she was before. The only time Piper ever really liked herself was when Alex would look at her with those wondrous green eyes as if Piper was absolutely the only thing that mattered. Like Piper was special, good, all the things the blonde had wanted to be when she was younger. Alex looked at her sometimes the way guys did at girls in the movies, the way every girl dreams of being looked at. Alex looked at Piper like she was in love, and that was all Piper ever wanted.

_Yes_, their relationship was toxic. _Yes, _now that it was over Piper was suffering like a junkie taken away from heroin; Alex was her own personal little drug that had manifested into this absolute necessity, that without it Piper was now falling to pieces. But when love is not madness, it's not love. The pair had their differences, their arguments, but they always had that one thing in common; they were absolutely crazy about each other.

* * *

They used to be, anyway; Piper lies awake in her bed that night, sober and alone, and she wonders how Alex is doing. She should want Alex to be suffering, hurting as much as the blonde is. But for some terrible, twisted reason, all Piper hopes, prays for, is that Alex is okay.

_Please, please let her be doing better than me._

Piper doesn't register doing it, but after a while she's sitting upright in the darkness and the pillow's against her nose. Alex's pillow. She inhales, deeply, and the smell just knocks her right back down into that wallowing pit of sadness; it smells exactly like her. For a minute, Piper doesn't cry, but for the first time in a week of absolute hell, violent sobs wrack her body, muffled by the pillow that smells like Alex. But it's not Alex. Alex is gone, and she isn't coming back.

That night, Piper just wants those arms that aren't her own around her, holding her together and wiping away the tears staining her cheeks. Those full red lips in her ear, whispering that it will be okay. They aren't forthcoming, and Piper falls into a restless sleep, plagued by visions of an empty life without Alex. For the next few nights, when sleep refuses to welcome her, Piper stares at the vacant side of the bed, and she wonders about all the things she'd tell Alex if she were here next to her. She wonders if her green eyes would light up with happiness, surprise, lust or even sadness. What Piper wouldn't give to see those eyes again.

* * *

Two months pass. Alex is surviving, but she isn't even close to living. Every single day is the same; she visits her mother at the hospital (where she's now residing permanently) and watches her slip an inch further with every visit. That's the thing about death; everyone knows it's coming, expects it, but that doesn't mean you can prepare for it. And then for the rest of the day, she just misses Piper. Occasionally, Alex remembers when Piper meant nothing to her; when she was unaware of the blonde's existence beyond the pictures in magazines. But now Piper is the reason Alex can't even look at herself in the mirror, the reason why she wakes up sweating in the middle of the night, the reason nothing will ever be the same. Even now, Piper Chapman is _everything. _

She's the nightmare Alex can't escape from and the dream she wishes were real.

One good thing comes from it all. Alex apologises to Nicky over the phone, and the bushy haired girl visits her in Jersey. It's okay, a little like it was before, with her best friend cracking jokes (although not about Piper; they don't even bring Piper up, because Nicky knows immediately by the return of Alex's quiet, introverted nature that it's over) and Alex telling her to shut up. But it's not the same. Nicky, Alex's mother, her father, everyone she sees on the street seems to be missing something, a hidden token they've all agreed to keep secret from the brunette. It takes her a while; frustrates her endlessly as she lies awake at night racking her mind to figure out what's missing. Finally, she realises it's not a secret at all. It's within and without Alex; she's missing that piece of her that made her life whole, that made everything else in front of her fall into place. _Piper._ Piper is missing from Alex.

A picture surfaces. The hot sun blazes overhead, barely visible in the grainy shot. A tall, haggard looking blonde is walking with long strides, as if desperately trying to run from something. _Or to something._ One hand holds tightly to a bottle in her hand while the other hangs awkwardly in the air, blurred, as if trying to cover her face from the photographer. Her blue eyes that would usually be flashing with rage are cold and blank, as if she doesn't really care if the photo's taken or not. It's not like she has anyone left. Her hair falls lamely in her face, rather unkempt and those dimples the nation fell in love with are looking rather sunken in.

Alex sees it for the first time much like she did when she saw the article about Milan. The brunette is sitting beside her sleeping mother's bed, flicking idly through the week old magazines she'd brought with her. Like everything these days, the magazine bores her, but she continues through it because Piper isn't here and there's nothing else to do. About four pages in, a square photo set in the second half of the page beside a box of text breaks her heart all over again. It's Piper, but Alex wouldn't even know the blonde if not for the caption.

"**Piper Chapman turns to alcohol to get over the break-up to end all break-ups!" **

If Alex wasn't so shocked at the state of her ex-girlfriend in the picture she'd of rolled her eyes at the horrendous title. But she's unable to tear her gaze away from the picture. It's not terribly high quality (thank God; if Alex could have seen Piper in high definition she might have needed her own hospital bed), but it's definitely her. She looks... broken. A sickening laugh bubbles up into Alex's throat. _Yeah, because you broke her. You did this. All over Piper doing her job. _The brunette's mind reminds her. It's not like it isn't true, though. Alex is sweating, her hands are shaking and her vision blurs. Suddenly, everything's too much. Her mom, Piper, this hospital, the photo, and Alex desperately just wants to run. She absolutely _despises_ herself when she sees how categorically fucked up Piper looks, she _hates _herself when she flees desperately from the hospital, bursting through the doors right into the middle of a horribly humid end of summer storm. _How fucking poetic._ Rain soaks her thin clothing right through as Alex fumbles desperately in her pockets for the keys to the car Piper had bought her a month ago, another token of just how fucking much the blonde loved her that Alex had totally disregarded that fateful afternoon in Paris. It wasn't bought to be flashy or to try and buy Alex's love, it was simply so Alex didn't have to ride the train every time she visited her mother or the hospital. It was Piper being a fucking incredible girlfriend, and Alex had just thrown it back in her face. Yet, here she was, climbing shakily behind the wheel of the white BMW that Piper had spent tens of thousands of dollars on for her girlfriend who would break her heart two weeks later.

Alex's heart thumped loudly and her palms sweated as she drove through the storm aimlessly. Except, that's a lie. She wasn't driving aimlessly at all. As the car streaks towards the bright lights of New York, Alex Vause thinks of anything and everything but the very reason she's going there.

It's like coming home after a long trip. That's what love is like. It's like coming home.

* * *

Piper can hardly stand the sight of her apartment. Alex is everywhere but in her arms, and it makes Piper want to take another gulp from the bottle of gin in her hand (she's got much too familiar with vodka these days), before she realises the bottle's empty anyway. She throws it on the floor of her bedroom, hoping it will conceal something that reminds her of Alex. Instead, it just dredges up the memory of the champagne bottles in Barcelona, and a wave of nausea not at all related to her drunkenness hits Piper. The bed's made up, and Piper bets it smells like Alex. The wardrobe is slightly askew, and the blonde makes out the sleeve of Alex's trusty leather jacket. "_I should have fucking stayed in Paris." _Piper reckons as she stumbles over to the clothing. It's pointless, it will only serve to hurt her more, but she pulls the garment from the dark confines of the closet and sits down heavily, worrying the worn material between her fingers. It's unfathomable that Piper's life has come to this point. She remembers her life before Alex; when girls came and went like moths among the champagne and the stars, when Piper didn't have to think or feel anything, when Piper was strong, powerful, _in control._ And then, although she tries to fight it, Piper remembers her life with Alex; when everything the blonde had ever known was ripped up and discarded by the tall girl with the wondrous eyes and raven hair, when Piper was happy, in love, but ultimately out of control. All the lavish parties and spontaneous trips had been okay when she was single, but then Alex had come along and simultaneously ruined everything while also quite frankly giving Piper's life meaning. Piper remembers how she thought all the bullshit she'd gone through had led her to Alex, but apparently there was still someone up there who hadn't had enough of fucking her over. And it's not fair at all, it's quite frankly the most brutally unfair thing Piper's ever heard, but now she's sitting in an empty apartment in New York with a leather jacket between her fingers to remember Alex by. She doesn't cry, worse, she thinks. _Remembers. _

_Decides._

So Piper has no one to blame but herself and the bottle of gin when she stands, slips the leather jacket over her shoulders and eventually steps into the storm currently plaguing New York. But it's nothing like the storm that clouds her mind, so Piper stands in the pouring rain under a streetlight and scrolls through her phone to the one contact she hoped she would never, _ever_ have to resort to again.

"My, my, this is a surprise Miss Chapman." The well polished accent calls over the phone to her. Piper grits her teeth angrily, feeling disgusted by even the sound of his voice.

"Whatever, I'm a big girl now, I can make my own choices remember?" She snaps, warm rain rolling off the leather of Alex's jacket. The man on the other line hums thoughtfully. "Look. I need something."

"And what would that be?" He asks happily, and Piper can hear the smugness in his voice. It almost makes her hang up. _Almost._

"Where can I meet you?" She says through her teeth.

"You know where." The man replies. Terrifyingly, Piper does. She'll never forget for as long as she lives.

"Fine. And bring the good stuff, _Fahri." _Piper feels sick even saying his name, nauseous that it's finally come this far. But mostly, she's just fucking sick and tired of this rut she's stuck in; she forgets what it feels like to be happy and giddy and to just not feel so fucking _sad_ all the time. Yes, it had not ended well the first time. Yes, her career will be over if she's caught. Yes, her mother would be disappointed. But none of this fucking matters; Alex isn't here, Alex doesn't want her anymore. It's that final thought, of not being wanted by the only girl she's ever loved (the girl she loves), that makes Piper stop leaning on the lamppost, walking away from the pool of light into the ominous darkness of New York City, towards the very thing that will show she's absolutely ruined, that she's given up.

Through the rain and angry tears stinging her eyes, Piper fails to notice the white BMW parked a little down the street.

* * *

Alex doesn't breathe for the entirety of the time Piper is standing under the lamp, looking absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful in Alex's leather jacket and a pair of black jeans, yellow light spilling over her tall form and illuminating a pocket of rain that fell steadily over the blonde. Alex watches her, drinking in the figure of the girl she'd tried to tell herself she'd never see again. What a load of shit. Piper was right; they are absolutely inevitable. Alex wants desperately to bolt from the car, knock the phone from Piper's hand and kiss her in the pouring rain. She wants to apologise. She needs to apologise. But, instead, she watches as Piper's face constricts before hardening with that look of courage Alex has seen so often. Alex still watches Piper as she fades to black, going off to whatever she's doing to get by. She isn't working, Alex knows that, but she looks like she's coping. Alex hopes she's coping. Alex wishes she was like that, strong enough to walk away instead of crawling back and hiding in cowardice. So, she throws the car regretfully into reverse and heads back to the fact that her mother's going to die soon. _How comforting._ But at least she knows Piper's okay.

The feverish warmth of New York and Piper Chapman disappear with the vanishing lights as Alex heads back to the dim, incalculable hours in New Jersey. Everything about New York screams happiness, fun, love, while Jersey beckons her with the promise of death. An invariable sadness envelops Alex along with the terrifying matter of infinite hope; it's terribly selfish of her, but in a typically fucked up way, she's at least comforted by the fact that while Piper may be copying, she sure as hell isn't finding it easy. Maybe, just maybe, if Alex had got out of that car she'd be home in Piper's arms, feeling the blonde's heart beat in rhythm with her own.

But, as always, Alex leaves, and with her she takes any ridiculous premise that any of this has worked out well for either woman. That quixotic stereotype that ex-lovers did not often think about each other was at once disproved by the fact the brunette had spent an hour driving there and back, just to watch Piper talk on the phone for two minutes under the dim, foggy lighting of a street lamp. But Alex had to see her; even if she knew that Piper would break her in two all over again. But she'd never really put herself back together after Paris, so the constant pain she's been feeling is simply magnified tenfold by being so close yet so far away from the love of her life. So, Alex returns to Jersey infinitely more miserable than she was when she left, with the knowledge that the intangible dream of taking Piper into her arms like nothing had ever happened is exactly that; _impossible. _And once again Alex Vause is swimming in that harrowing abyss of complete and utter loneliness.

* * *

A/N: Only one more chapter of separation, I think. I can only take so many sad songs and people telling me I've ruined their lives. I love you all, though, and although it makes me a bit of a masochist, feel free to leave a review and let me know if I've broken you.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: First off, thanks for three hundred reviews! To celebrate and because I need to get all this fucking angst over and done with, here's a double update. Yes, you heard right, the angst is almost done. Praise the fucking lord.

* * *

Piper didn't feel like she was good at much these days. She hadn't opened her offices in months, hadn't made a cent for even longer (not that she needed to) and there was also the small matter of neglecting the love of her life when Alex's mother was dying. Truth be told, Piper Chapman was shit at pretty much everything, apart from one thing. One thing the blonde was indeed very good at, was putting on a mask, a brave face. Anyone who'd have seen the stoney-faced blonde in a leather jacket standing under a street light or walking determinedly towards the swanky hotel that was her destination would've thought she was feeling pretty confident in herself.

They would have thought she was _okay. _

Underneath the lies and appearances, however, Piper was about as far from okay as she'd ever been, for reasons that she was quite frankly tired of thinking about. Tired of thinking, tired of feeling, tired of this godforsaken limbo she was currently suspended in. She was absolutely at a loss; no matter how much she drank or the amount of times she tried to call Alex but hung up before the call connected; there was nothing Piper could do. Alex is gone, she's with her mother, and there's not a damn thing Piper can do to fix it. So she walks with squared shoulders and purposeful strides into the open foyer of the hotel, a bright chandelier over head illuminated invitingly as the blonde takes refuge from the steady stream of rain falling outside. Piper checks her phone for the room number Fahri texted her. Even the four digits on the screen mock her as she enters the elevator. _The great Piper Chapman has finally given up. She didn't even try. _It's true; Piper had been too much of a pussy to run after Alex, too afraid that it might somehow make everything worse. If Piper's been honest, though, there's not a chance in hell that it could possibly have gotten any worse. In fact, maybe having Alex screaming words of hate and regret would have been the wakeup call she needed. But instead Piper had done nothing but wallow in her own self pity, praying to a deity she really didn't believe in, that Alex would just appear one night and take Piper back without a second thought. Clearly (to Piper, anyway) that never materialised; Alex never even took her stuff back from the apartment. Piper knew that taking drugs would certainly not bring the brunette back, but maybe it would take Piper away somewhere that she just didn't have to think about any of this anymore. Truthfully, she knew drugs would break more than it would fix. Frankly, however, Piper was fucking sick to the teeth of trying to fix anything, so she took a deep breath before walking the six steps to the plain wooden door at the start of the hallway. The gold numbering matched the one on the text, and Piper's heart thumped for what felt like the first time in months. She raised her hand to knock, knowing that the moment her fist made contact with the door she would be drawn back into the dark, irrefutable days of her past that not even Alex knew about.

Then Piper remembers; Alex will never know, Alex isn't here, Alex is gone, so she goes ahead and knocks once, then twice for good measure.

* * *

"Your definition of okay is pretty different to everyone else's, Vause." Nicky tells the brunette sitting across the table. "For a start, you tell me you're okay yet you show up in New York in the middle of a storm, stalk your ex girlfriend for five minutes, decide to go home then change your mind again and end up here at-" Nicky pauses to check the time on her phone. "eighteen minutes past two in the morning. Yeah, you sound really okay to me." Alex looks at her tiredly from behind her glasses, tracing a finger over the rim of her coffee cup.

"I don't know what to do." She says honestly. "I don't know why I came here... I just needed to see her." Nicky sighs and takes a seat beside her best friend.

"Why?" Alex hates that word; it's a question she's asked herself countless times since that day in Paris, and she's yet to settle on answer that sits well with her.

"Because I was scared. I was scared that Piper was growing bored of me or I was burdening her, and I was clearly too up my own ass to wait around for her to dump me. I'm so in love with her it scares the hell out of me! I was scared that my mother was going to die, I _am _scared that my mother is going to die. I'm just scared, Nicky." Alex admits in a voice that can only be described as pleading. It's perhaps not the answer Nicky wanted, but it's the one she gets.

"Your logic is so fucked, you know that, right?" The bushy haired girls quips, because what can you tell someone who just admitted all that to you in one go?

"Not helping." Alex mutters. Nicky pulls at her own hair, desperate to cheer up the dejected brunette. She knows, however, that this is something that runs deeper than most people's comprehension. Hell, she doubts even Alex understands why a break up has her in this sort of state.

"You need to go home, Vause. Forget about Piper for a while-"

"I can't forget, Nicky!" Alex cries. "I've tried!"

"Try harder." She says bluntly. "Piper will be around for a long time, you need to be with your mom. Worry about all this shit later." Nicky doesn't say it aloud, but both she and Alex know she's basically saying "_Your mother is going to die really fuckin' soon, so make it count."_ The brunette nods; she certainly doesn't need to be reminded of that. The pair speak for a little while longer, never mentioning Alex's mother or Piper.

"How's Lorna?" Alex enquires as they walk to the door of her old apartment.

"She's good, you know.." Nicky pauses for a moment as a smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. "We're thinking about moving in together. I mean, she needs to get a new job now that Piper's not paying her, but-" She's cut off by Alex's gasp.

"What?" She says incredulously.

"Piper's not paying any of her staff." Nicky shrugs, trying not to show just how shitty she thinks Piper is being.

"Yes she is. She's paying me." Alex had assumed all the employees were being paid while the business was closed until further notice.

"No offence, Vause, but I don't really think you fit into the category of staff." Nicky laughs at Alex's bemused expression. The fact that Piper still pays her regularly, and only pays her, is just another reason Alex wants to ask _'Why?!'. _But she doesn't, because Nicky sure as hell won't know, and Alex definitely doesn't understand.

"I'm sorry Lorna isn't getting paid, man. That's probably my fault." Alex says, fiddling awkwardly with the doorknob before pulling it open.

"Oh yeah, Lorna was real pissed at you. She put up a photo of you and threw darts at it for three hours in a row, whispering some vindictive shit under her breath. Scary, but also kind of hot." Nicky says dryly, pushing her tongue against the inside of her cheek as Alex's eyes widen.

"Is it bad that I can believe that? I don't know if it says more about me or her." The brunette shakes her head amusedly, hoping Nicky's story was a joke. You can never really tell with Nicky Nichols though. The paring talk quietly in the dark street for a moment longer before they bid goodbye and Alex walks towards her BMW.

"Hey, Alex." Nicky calls seriously across the road, light spilling out of the apartment from the door behind her.

"What?" Alex shouts back.

"Don't do anything stupid." It's probably the best piece of advice she's given Alex all night.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Alex replies with a wave before unlocking the car and climbing in. She wouldn't, right? Unbeknownst to the girl heading home in the early hours of the morning, her conviction is about to be tested sooner than she thinks.

* * *

"You lasted longer than I thought." The dusky gentleman informs the blonde in front of him.

"What?" She says angrily, eyeing the little bag by the man's side.

"Well, when I first heard about your little breakup I thought I'd be seen you much sooner."

"How did you know?" Piper asks, but she's not even surprised.

"I know everything, Miss Chapman. The other girl's holding up much better, I must say. Alex, is it?" Piper feels a flush of anger ripple through her at Alex's name rolling off Fahri's tongue.

"You stay the _fuck_ away from her." The blonde growls, striding over to the man sitting cross-legged on the four poster.

"Or what?" He smirks. It frustrates Piper to no end, the power he and his little bag hold over her.

"Or I'll fucking wreck you, Fahri. You fuck with her, and I'll fucking kill you with my bare hands." She threatens in a low whisper. The man's eyes widen for a moment before he collects himself. You can hardly blame him for being a little scared by five foot eight of furious looking blonde in a leather jacket threatening to end his life in such a calm voice she sounds like she's reading the weather.

"Whatever. Knock yourself out, you piece of shit." He laughs coldly, dumping the bag and snatching his money from the bedside table. "And get your pathetic ass out of here before sunrise." He adds, before exiting and slamming the door behind him. Piper lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. The blonde sits down heavily on the bed, head in her hands. The smell of cologne and Alex's leather jacket mix horribly in the air, suffocating Piper already. She sits upright after a moment, surveying the expensive room. There's a few lamps, a flatscreen, a mini fridge, a long mirror on the left wall and two large windows on the one opposite the door. Piper spots the door to the bathroom and for some unknown reason she drags the bag that way, placing it on the sink with a heavy heart and looking at her appearance in the mirror. Her blonde hair hangs lamely down to her breasts, damp and tangled with split ends bordering on heinous. Her dark brows are knotted together and her blue eyes once filled with mischief are cold and unforgiving. _Dead._ Her lips are drawn in a hard, straight line and her dimples are nowhere to be found. Her usually chiselled cheekbones are ever so slightly sunken in by the lack of eating she's been doing. Quite frankly, Piper Chapman looks like shit. It scares her, honestly. She doesn't look young or full of life or rich or powerful, she just looks worn out. _Broken._ Somehow, if Alex was here, Piper thinks the brunette would be telling her how beautiful she looks. Piper misses her, my God does she fucking miss that girl. All she wants is those arms pulling her away from the bag her shaky hands are unzipping, that low voice telling her to stop. It's a shame that Piper had ended up at this point; she'd thought Alex was the one person who'd never leave her. But she'd left, she hadn't come back, and all that was the left was the image of the broken girl in the mirror with no more tears left to cry and no more room to ever love anyone again.

Piper thumbs the little baggie in her hands nervously. If she takes it, she'll ruin her life. If she doesn't, she'll still be stuck in this horrible excuse for a life, alone with nothing but the sun rising in the morning to remind her she's still breathing. Piper has no purpose anymore; she's made enough money to last her a lifetime and she's still unhappier than the day she made her first dollar. It's such a materialistic thought that money is the route of all evil, though. Loving someone who doesn't love you back; that, _that_ is evil. So yes, the alcohol may kill Piper eventually. The drugs may kill Piper eventually. But aren't they much more noble ways to die than because Alex Vause doesn't love her anymore? At least she can blame the booze or the baggie in her hand, but if she continues the impossible daily struggle of being alone without doing a damn thing about it, she has no one to blame but herself. She pulls more from the bag; a spoon, a needle, more drugs, a lighter. Of course she knows what she's doing; you never forget. Piper feels like laughing, or crying, or maybe both. Her mother would hate her right now. Alex would hate her. But then she remembers her mother isn't here, and Alex obviously does hate her for ignoring and neglecting the brunette when she needed her most. Piper's not quite as confident as she used to be, and her nerves are obvious when she tries to open one of the little bags and some of it spills onto the sleeve of Alex's jacket. Piper freezes. She then feels nauseous at the fact something so good and so pure that had once brought her so much happiness (Alex, not just the jacket) is now tainted with the horrifying, life ruining substance Piper is about to take. She drops the heroin bag somewhere onto the sink below and shrugs the jacket off desperately, disgusted with herself. In her panic though, the hand in the sleeve without the drug on it catches in a pocket and the jacket is suspended upside down with only Piper's hand holding it from the tiled floor of the bathroom. She goes to remove the hand that's stuck inside out, but there's something in the pocket. Piper curls her fingers around it and prises the rest of the coat off her. Nervously, she unfurls the corners of the little rectangular piece and holds it up to the light.

It's a picture of a colourful piece of art mounted on a wall with a red velvet rope in front of it. The painting is by a twenty-four year old artist by the name of Alex Vause. Beside the work stands a tall brunette with green eyes behind thick framed glasses and a pale arm wrapped intimately around a slightly shorter blonde with sparkling blue eyes, a proud smile on her face. The tallest of the couple is the aforementioned Alex Vause, and the girl on her arm was the most powerful woman in art when the photo was taken, Piper Chapman. They are in love. Two weeks later the artist will leave her girlfriend in Paris and get on the first flight back to New York, leaving the blonde in tatters on a cold floor. Two months, eighteen days and nine hours later, Piper Chapman will stand in a hotel bathroom with the photograph in one hand a baggie of heroin in the other.

_She kept it._ Piper's mind repeats as she fails to look anywhere but at her expression in the photo. She's never looked so happy, so proud, and so content in all her life. Her gaze occasionally flickers to the bashful smile on Alex's red lips or the way they're pressed so closely together. Tears pricking at her eyes, Piper momentarily forgets the drug in her hand and digs into the back pocket of her jeans. Out comes her own copy of the photo, albeit in a worse state than Alex's. Piper's mind reels as she tries to remember the last time she saw Alex wearing this jacket. She could have _sworn_ she wore it on the plane to Paris and took it home with her two days later. It doesn't make sense to her; how did it end up in her apartment and why did the photo look so crumpled? She never does figure it out herself, but eventually she'll find out Alex had come back to the apartment straight away after spending the whole flight home alternating between looking at the photo and having nightmares. So she'd left the jacket and the photo to Piper. Not like in a will or anything, but she'd hung it up in the apartment before taking any money she had in her own safe and returning to New Jersey. She hadn't taken anything else. At the moment, though, Piper doesn't care about the finer details. It's Alex's photo; she hadn't thrown it out after Paris, she'd obviously looked at it _a lot_ and most importantly, Piper looks at the couple in the photo. The brunette's mother is dying yet the two still look absolutely unbreakable. It's a misguided conclusion, but there is no fucking way in hell Piper can just set the photo down and give up on even trying to get back to that.

_No fucking way._

Once more, for the second time in her life, Piper Chapman takes a spoon, a needle and a bag of heroin in her hands. She then proceeds to dump the whole thing in the sink along with the lighter and the bag it came in, before turning the tap on. The bathroom will flood, and the hotel will have a hefty bill on their hands in the morning. Piper picks herself up, takes the photos and puts them safely in her pocket before trashing the hotel room a little to fuck Fahri off even more than the ruined product in the bathroom. She strides purposefully away from the twisted scene behind her.

For the second time in her life, Piper Chapman will try again. Only this time, her chances of failure are a hell of a lot higher.

* * *

The next morning, the citizens of New York are greeted to a sight they've sorely missed over the past few months. A leggy blonde with tousled hair and expensive clothes walks confidently up the steps to her business, striking red Louboutins reflecting the sunlight streaming down from the clear blue skies. Pipeline will reopen its doors today for the first time in nearly three months, and its CEO will be the only one in the damn building.

For all intents and purposes, Piper Chapman is back.

But oddly, she's doing a little piece of selling today rather than her usual importing. And by little piece, she means putting the whole damn business up for sale. Every last penny of it. It'll be a long, drawn out process and to be honest she's a little confused about how to go about it.

"Hopefully it'll be a little like uploading on eBay. I hear that's a thing." Piper muses as she enters the still-lit foyer. It's empty, freezing cold and rather bare. There's no Brooklyn accent welcoming her from the front desk, there's no constant buzz of activity around the floor that fades when she walks to the elevator. There's not a sound from her own office floor, and perhaps most upsettingly, there's no incredibly sexy brunette sitting in front of her office with a pen between her lips and black glasses framing her face. All that remains is Piper, her heels clicking on the floor and the sound of her coffee machine. The blonde settles in her leather chair once more, propping her long legs up on the desk, mug in one hand while the other turns on the laptop.

No, she is not okay; she is not magically fixed by an act of bravado the night previously. But it's one hell of an improvement from waking up with her hands bunched in the sheets where Alex should be and spending her days drinking her problems away. Weirdly, it's good to be back.

* * *

"I saw her." Alex says quietly to the frail woman in the hospital bed. It's funny how things creep up on you; twenty four hours ago Alex had sat in the same position and not noticed just how terrible her mother looked, yet now it was agonizingly obvious that time was running out. Alex didn't want to know how long her mother had left, but her guess would be not long at all.

"And?" The woman answers and it seems like a terrible effort just to get the word out. Alex cringes at her mother's discomfort.

"She looked...uh..." At first, Alex had thought Piper was okay, but Nicky informed her that standing in the middle of storms during the night wearing your ex's jacket is not the typical behaviour of someone who is '_okay'. _"Different."

"You still love her?" Diane questions her daughter.

"Of course." Alex answers straight away in a clear voice.

"Do you want her back?" It's an entirely different question than the one before. Right now Alex isn't sure she or Piper are ready for a relationship as passionate and volatile as theirs is, or was. Yes, Alex would love to be with Piper right now in a normal, functioning relationship. But then that's not who Piper is, it's not how they work together. She can have normal and functioning with anyone. She wants hot, exhilarating and dangerous with perhaps a little more solidity than before. Frankly, Alex isn't sure if Piper can offer that.

"I don't know." Alex admits, and she feels like it's the only damn thing she's saying lately. From the moment she met Piper she's been plagued by this _not knowing._ Sometimes it was fucking fantastic, but lately it was just depressing. Her mother sighs in the bed and nods.

"Understandable."

"Would you be mad?" The brunette asks her mother timidly.

"No. I just want you to be happy, and clearly she makes you happy Alex. It's not going to make me jump with joy, but it's what's best for you." It's funny how death changes people. Suddenly, stripped back from society's expectations of them, they suddenly become a hell of a lot more honest.

"Okay." Alex whispers, forgiving her mom for the initial reaction to her relationship with Piper. It's comforting, but it's probably useless. She and Piper aren't even on speaking terms; she can't just waltz back in there and hope Piper forgives her. Piper Chapman is not a forgiving person. The brunette gets up to leave for the day, promising to come back tomorrow.

"Happy birthday again, kid." Her mother says with a weak smile.

"Thanks, ma. Love you." Alex waves sadly. It will absolutely be her last birthday with her mother around.

"Love you too." What she doesn't know, is those are also the last words she'll hear her mother say.

* * *

Read and review you beautiful people.


	20. Chapter 20

A'N: Yes, it gets really heavy this chapter. I'm sorry for the cliched drama towards the end, it's certainly not my best work. As you can tell, angst is not my thing. Thank God it's almost over. Please, _please _leave me a little review, this took me hours upon hours. I love you all.

* * *

"Get out." Nicky doesn't often get angry, but this is fucking infuriating.

"No." The blonde refuses, folding her arms from her position at the kitchen bar. She's still in her work clothes (black blazer, white ruffled shirt and black skirt) while Nicky looks like she just woke up. It's quite the juxtaposition; rich-looking blonde with a calculated posture and judgemental blue eyes standing opposite a small wild haired girl with half last night's makeup still on and wearing a pair of sweats and a t shirt. No one would guess it's the business woman's life currently in bits.

"How did you get in here?"

"She left her key."

"She has a name." Nicky says irritably.

"Alex." Piper's eyes soften at the girl's name.

"What do you want?"

"Tell me where Alex is." Piper demands, unfolding her arms but still standing with her shoulders back defensively.

"Why should I?" Nicky rolls her eyes at the blonde's ridiculous request.

"Because I'll give Lorna her job back." It's a lie, but Nicky doesn't need to know that.

"No, you won't." Nicky might not need to know, but she sure as hell does know.

"Look." Piper runs a hand through her blonde tresses. "I'll give you whatever the hell you want. Please, Nicky."

"Why?" Nicky asks again.

"Because I love her." Piper answers rather uncharacteristically.

"Love isn't an excuse, Blondie." Nicky scoffs at the girl in front of her. "Why do you think you're so fucking privileged?" She says suddenly. Piper's eyes widen before she goes to reply, but Nicky cuts her off. "You neglected her. You left her out to dry when she needed you most. You're no better than any of us."

"She left me!" Piper defends rather pathetically.

"Because you treated her like someone who could be bought with trips abroad or flashy gifts, and then you ignored her when the going got tough. She deserves better." The smaller girl fires back. Piper looks like she wants to cry.

"I know, Jesus, I know okay? I know I'm a fucking bitch, Nicky. I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to her. But I can't live like this. Please, Nicky."

"Get out. No fuckin' way." Nicky stands firm, but she adds the second part for her own benefit. She can see the hurt in Piper's expression, and as much as she tried to ignore it, she'd heard the stories about her alcohol addiction and the state of Piper in the photos.

"I can't. There's nothing... I'll die without her." Piper's not even being overdramatic; if she doesn't get to Alex there's not much point in anything now her business is being sold. "I'm changing, I swear to God." The blonde pleads desperately with the quickly cracking bushy haired girl.

"I can't..." She trails off.

"At least let me see her. I won't even tell her it was you. I have to." Piper insists.

"How do I know you won't just do exactly what you did last time?!" Nicky's thinking aloud now, really. "Her mother is basically on death's door, she could be dead right now for fuck sake!"

"I'm selling my business." Piper says bluntly.

"What?!" Nicky cries. Every man and his dog in New York knew Piper Chapman lived for her job.

"Alex is more important. You have to tell me where she is, goddamnit!" Piper shouts rather childishly, coming closer to Nicky.

"Jesus. I did not sign up for this." She says under her breath, shaking her head.

"I won't run away this time." Piper says with a tremendous amount of conviction. Nicky believes her, somehow.

"She's fucked up, Chapman. Like, I hardly even recognise her."

"I don't care. I love her." Piper repeats, looking at Nicky expectantly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Nicky says, walking over to a drawer behind Piper and writing something on a page. She hands it to Piper. "If you fucking hurt her ever again, I'll kill you, Piper." It's probably the first time she's ever used the blonde's first name. Piper nods understandingly.

"I won't, I promise. Thanks, Nicky. Seriously. Leave the Lorna thing with me; I'll sort it." Piper says seriously. Nicky waves her hand dismissively.

"Go before I change my mind." Piper smiles anyway.

"Hey, Nichols." She calls from the doorway. Nicky raises her eyebrows. "Tell her I said happy birthday." The smaller girl shakes her head and laughs sarcastically.

"Tell her yourself, Chapman." She waves the blonde off before her amusement dies down. This is serious, now; if Piper fucks up again Nicky is pretty sure Alex won't be able to handle it. And judging by Alex's description of her mother lately, Nicky wasn't even sure if her best friend could handle that aspect of her life alone, never mind the return of Piper. But the blonde loves her, and Nicky just hopes it's enough.

* * *

Piper never makes it to Jersey for Alex's birthday. She hasn't slept for a while, so she gets a haircut on her way home before packing a little bag, booking the nearest five star hotel to the address that Nicky gave her and slipping into bed alone. She's in a much better state than she was last night, though, and she manages to sleep rather peacefully, the toll of the last three months or so really wearing her down. Tomorrow, though, she'll see the love of her life again. It could go absolutely horribly wrong, and she could be back in this bed tomorrow quite easily, in a much worse way than she is tonight. Piper's so sick of running from her problems, though, and she just needs to see Alex again, no matter how much it might kill her. It would be a pleasure to die like that.

"I gotta run, but... I'm sorry, Mom, I really am." Piper says quietly "I'm sorry for all of it; I'm sorry for the alcohol and the drugs and the business. I'm sorry if I disappointed you, but I need to do this. I can't live without her." The gravestone offers no opinion. Piper doesn't lose her shit for once. Her mother's gone, and she's finally accepting it. Death is inevitable after all. "I'll see you soon, Ma." Piper finishes, setting down the bouquet of flowers before patting the headstone and walking away from the cemetery. For the first time, she doesn't cry.

The setting sun reflects dimly off the gleaming red Ferrari that sits just outside the gate. Piper slips into it, drawing attention from the various other cemetery-goers as the engine roars loudly to life. She silently thanks the confident nature her car and appearance gives off, because inside she's a nervous wreck. What if Alex doesn't want to see her? What if she hates her? Or, worst of all, what if she just does nothing? What if she ignores Piper, silently chastising her for even having the audacity to show up while all this is going on? It's narcissistic and ill timed, but if Piper doesn't go now she'll never go. She's already waited until almost eight o'clock in the evening, working in the morning before procrastinating all afternoon before finally leaving to the cemetery. Now, she was on the open road, tearing towards New Jersey. Her best guess placed Alex in her mother's house even though the ailing woman residing in the hospital these days. Alex had never been one to linger around the stench of death in the hospital, so Piper reckoned she'd be at home, perhaps reading or drinking a glass of wine.

Jesus fucking Christ, was she absolutely, totally, one hundred percent wrong.

* * *

"We're terribly sorry, Miss Vause. It took us by surprise." The tall man in scrubs tells the girl sitting slumped against the wall opposite the operating theatre. She doesn't offer a reply. "You can see her, if you like." Alex looks up with unseeing eyes and takes the man's outstretched hand. He leads her through the double doors into the darkened room and leaves her in private. Her heart seems to stop at the lifeless figure covered in a pale blue sheet in the middle of the room. Alex's feet feel like dead weights as they somehow carry her closer. There lies her mother, Diane Vause; only twenty four hours ago she'd been laughing and smiling and telling Alex she loved her.

Now, she was dead.

The doctor had said something about her heart being too weak and giving up. They'd tried to rectify it with a defibrillator or even a pacemaker, but it hadn't worked. Nothing worked. Her mother was gone, and Alex never even got to say goodbye. The brunette didn't dare raise her hands from her body, but she thumbed the sheet beside her nervously. She'd thought a hell of a lot about what she'd do at this moment, but she was coming up blank. No combination of twenty six letters could ever capture even a sliver of what she wants to say. That horrendous cliché of feeling numb during death certainly did not apply to her right then; Alex Vause was fucking drowning in a sea of emotions. Rage, sadness, regret, terror poured from the girl as she stared down into the unmoved face of her mother. She forced back a choked sob at the reality of the situation. Her mother was dead; as if it wasn't bad enough that she was going to die from cancer, _for fuck sake_, Alex didn't even say goodbye properly. Alex wants to scream, then. But she just stands dumbly, fists clenched and silent tears cascading down her cheeks. She makes no attempt to stop them. It's over. Her mother's time is up. She's not suffering anymore, so why does Alex feel like all the pain before this has absolutely paled in comparison? What she wouldn't give to see those green eyes once more or that comforting smile light up her mother's face. It's not fucking fair that she's dead before she's sixty, it's not fucking fair that Alex can't even speak to her, none of it's fair; and Alex feels a scream bubble up into her throat and escape before she can fight it. She falters under the weight of the tremendous pain enveloping her and almost collapses, bracing herself on the bed frame to stay up right. All Alex sees is the lifeless corpse in front of her, she can't see the door or the dim lights overhead and she feels herself suffocating. _I didn't even get to say goodbye._ Is all her mind can repeat as she stumbles in what she hopes is the direction of the exit. Alex can't see through the floods of tears and gasps for breath as she tries to get the hell away from reality. What an impossible task. Perhaps she screams to feel alive, so she stops that and continues to cry anyway. She doesn't feel alive; she hasn't felt alive since she left Piper.

She collides heavily with the double doors at the exit to the hospital before she remembers they're pull, not push. Alex falls to her feet at the bottom of the steps, cool breeze blowing on her too hot face. She wants to get lost in something, or someone, but there's nothing in the empty street in front of her except a man walking her direction that she barely notices. Alex's hands are covering her face as her body heaves with sobs. She begs to a God that she sure as hell does not believe in to just stop _feeling_ anything. For once, He actually seems to hear her.

"Are you alright, Miss?" The man calls out in a rather strange accent when he reaches her. Alex just cries a little harder. "Alex?" At the sound of her name the brunette raises her head and wipes at the mascara running down her face.

"How do you know my name?" She chokes out, voice rough with crying. The gentleman in the navy shirt with short black hair and a middle-eastern appearance smiles sadly at her.

"Piper Chapman sent me." He lies smoothly. Not even in his wildest dreams of revenge on the blonde who'd almost got him caught did he envisage this. He'd managed to catch Alex the moment her mother died. Even for him, that was quite some timing.

"Piper?" Alex croaks. "Why?" Alex doesn't really feel like talking to anyone, much less about Piper, but she's intrigued.

"She..um-" He hesitates slightly. "She has something for you."

"What? What could she possibly have that would make any of this better?" Alex puts her head back in her hands.

"I assure you, Miss Vause, you just need to come with me. It'll take your mind of it." He promises. He speaks calm and assuredly. Like Piper.

"Who are you?" Alex half whispers.

"My name is Fahri." He says with a smile and kind eyes.

"What do you do, Fahri?"

"I work for an international drug cartel." Alex's eyes go wide at the man's casual admission. He laughs it off, though, and Alex laughs awkwardly though her tears. Sure, she wouldn't mind forgetting all this shit for a moment, but drugs? Piper didn't seem like the type. Hell, Alex wasn't really even the type.

"Where are we going?" She asks. It's a signal that she's accepted his proposal, although she skips over the fact he had simply told Alex what's going on rather than asking.

"A little place not far from here." Alex assumes he means to meet Piper, or something, so she nods sadly and follows his back turned form, the sound of a car engine echoing from the streets adjacent to the hospital. She misses the evil grin on the man's face.

Always so easy, the broken ones.

* * *

"Where is she?!" Piper slams her hands on the receptionist's desk heatedly.

"Miss Chapman, please don't do that." The little red head pleads, looking at the enraged blonde with wide eyes. "There's nothing we can do."

"Bullshit!" Piper yells. "You haven't even tried! How can you let a girl whose mother has just fucking died waltz right out of here without saying anything?! I swear, if anything happens to her you bastards are going to have a fucking huge lawsuit on your hands!" She rants to no one in particular before an important looking man appears from behind one of the curtains.

"Piper Chapman. A pleasure to meet you." He extends his hand, but Piper just looks at it disgustedly before scoffing and narrowing her eyes at the man.

"I wish I could say the same thing." She tells the man. He looks mildly offended before shrugging.

"A shame. Mind reminding me why you're trying to wake half my ward up?"

"Mind telling me where Alex Vause is?" Piper has to consciously stop herself from bitch slapping the man and also from saying 'my girlfriend'.

"Ah, Diane's daughter? What a shame." He says and Piper bites her lip to hold back a torrent of swear words escaping. "As for Alex, I'm afraid she left a short while ago."

"Who with?!" Piper snaps.

"I'm not sure." The doctor admits. "A man came and spoke to her outside according to one of the nurses who was on a smoking break, but she didn't hear anything."

"Where did they go?" An unsettling feeling was creeping over the blonde now as she moved away from anger into something more like fear.

"She doesn't know, I'm afraid. He seemed to know who she was, though." Piper's heart dropped at the comment.

"What did the man look like?" Piper's voice is barely above a whisper.

"Five six, sort of...'dusky looking'." The doctor says the last part in air quotes. Piper feels her world splinter in front of her and her knuckles turn white as she grips the desk tightly.

"Jesus." She chokes out, more to herself than anyone. The doctor and receptionist share a concerned look at the blonde's sudden change in demeanour. _Think, Piper!_ Her mind screams. Piper racks her brain trying to figure out what that piece of shit's destination would be. She doesn't know New Jersey terribly well, but she would assume it wouldn't be far from here; Fahri was not a patient motherfucker.

"Where's the nearest warehouse?" Piper grinds out, settling on that. Secluded, unknown, inconspicuous and most importantly abandoned at this time of night. Perfect. Alex wouldn't go to a club, nor some dingy flats with a group of addicts, but she might just agree to a quiet, airy room to clear her head. Fahri might have liked a hotel, but he couldn't be sure which one Piper was staying in. She didn't even know how he knew where she or Alex was, but it was her own fault for being over dramatic instead of just leaving the drugs or returning them instead of destroying stuff she didn't even use. The hospital pair look alarmed at the question before the receptionist draws up a list on her computer and writes it down, Piper breathing heavily throughout the tense wait. She snatches the paper from the girl before walking away without a word.

"A thank you would be nice!" The doctor calls after her angrily, and Piper just raises both her middle fingers without breaking stride. Once outside she breaks into a run towards her car, but her laboured breaths are from panic rather than exercise.

It was not supposed to go like this; Piper was supposed to walk back into Alex's life and tide her over comfortingly while her mother faded away peacefully. Her mother was not supposed to die suddenly, and Piper certainly was not supposed to be gunning her Ferrari well over the speed limit to try and get to an abandoned warehouse before Alex does something she will really regret. No, certainly Piper thought she'd done enough to deserve the fairytale movie ending, not the sort of film that goes swimmingly and has all the right twists and turns before the final crescendo fucks everything up and the audience goes home in uproar. Unfortunately, it was looking increasingly more likely that the movie goers and Piper herself were going to be disappointed to say the least.

* * *

"Where's Piper?" Alex asks again as the man busies himself with something involving lighters and spoons. They're in some sort of warehouse with annoyingly bright lights and a linoleum floor. There's a few rows of boxes and tables scattered throughout, but mostly it's a bare room.

"Oh, she'll be here." He answers rather cryptically. "You ever had drugs, kid?" He enquires suddenly. Alex shakes her head before pausing.

"Actually, there was once in Amsterdam..." Alex trails off, trying not to get lost in the memory of Piper shot gunning a plume of smoke into Alex's mouth underneath the stars on an unbearably hot evening in the Dutch capital. She doesn't want to think about Piper, though, she needs to mourn. Her mother had died only half an hour ago, yet she was sitting here with a total stranger who may possibly be a drug dealer. Horribly, Alex didn't mind. She hadn't felt any emotion other than sad for about three months, so to feel fear coursing through her veins at least reminded her that she was still alive. Maybe a little hit of something wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. It's not like her mom was around to shout at her.

"With Piper?" Fahri sounded surprised.

"How do you know her?" Alex narrows her eyes at the man.

"We're old acquaintances and I was recently reminded of what a little ray of sunshine the blonde can be." Anger laces his tone and Alex's eyes widen.

"Right." She nods, wondering how the hell Piper knows a drug dealer. She sure as hell never mentioned it.

"Ever had proper drugs?" Fahri questions abruptly.

"Depends what you mean." Alex mutters tiredly. She wants her mother. She wants Piper.

"Heroin." He says bluntly. Alex shakes her head no. He smirks darkly and lights the flame. "Want me to show you?"

"Did Piper really tell you to bring me here just to get me high?" Alex's voice quivers slightly.

"No, she didn't. But she'll be here." Alex scoffs at his comment.

"Where the hell is she?" She demands, frustrated at the lack of blonde in the room to be honest.

"At the hospital, probably." He muses, watching the little powder liquefy on the spoon. Alex heart begins to pound in her ears. What the hell has she gotten herself into? Weed is one thing, but heroin is a whole other ball game. "You're probably feeling pretty shitty right now, I guess." Fahri continues. "Take this, and I can assure you all your problems will just float away." He smiles, the flame of the lighter dancing in his black eyes. It shuts off abruptly as the man takes a needle from his pocket. It looks new, however. "You know how to do this?" He hadn't even asked if Alex wanted to take it yet. But she's just so fucking pained and sad and miserable that she might as well, because things can't get any worse. She nods dumbly and Fahri stands. He hands her the spoon and needle before picking up the bag. "Knock yourself out. Don't wait up for her." He commands before striding away. Alex sets the heroin down carefully. She could do just that; wait for Piper to come. But then she's tired of waiting, it's been nearly three months and Piper isn't here. Why would tonight be any different? Yes, her mother has died, but Piper can't possibly know that. Shaky hands undo the brunette's belt before she ties it tightly around her bicep like they do on Breaking Bad or whatever films she's watched. The smell of it fills her lungs and Alex's eyes water as she draws the liquid from the spoon into the needle. She squints at the reading. 15 mg; that doesn't seem like a terribly high amount. She won't die, at least. What a way to honour her mother's death this is; taking a potentially lethal drug in a warehouse on her own while pathetically waiting for Piper to come and save her like something straight out of the movies. The needle pricks at the skin of her arm and Alex wishes she had a fear of them; maybe then she wouldn't be doing this. Already, though, before the drug even enters her blood stream, she's been craving the sort of relief and euphoria it offers for years. She'd found it in Piper, become addicted so much it almost ruined her and now the withdrawals had led her to this point. No, Piper was not heroin. She was so much fucking better.

But Piper still isn't here, and Alex's mother isn't coming back, so she pushes the needle into her skin anyway. _No, it might not be as good as Piper, but it comes damn close._

* * *

Piper's running full tilt again for the second time tonight. Finally, at the third damn warehouse on the list she'd seen the all too familiar car pull out of the junction and off into the night. She sprints as hard as she can towards the metal door, throwing all her weight behind it as it clatters open to reveal a blindingly bright room with silver walls and a linoleum floor. It's fucking huge, but it's bare. Boxes line the walls at the bottom of the room, a few tables and a woman sits slumped in a chair, her black framed glasses sliding off her nose and a dreamy smile on her face. Piper almost throws up at the sight. No, this was not happening. No. She's too late. She reaches Alex and shakes her by the shoulders desperately.

"Alex?! Alex!" She yells at the obviously high as fuck girl in front of her. The usually sparkling green eyes are cloudy and far off as they meet with Piper's. They're not really looking at the blonde, though, they're looking right through her.

"Wooooooow." Alex giggles. "This is some good shit." She smirks and under different circumstances Piper would have laughed. Instead, she wants to be sick. Piper hastily unties the belt and kicks over the equipment angrily. "Calm down, sister." Alex croons. The blonde pulls her ex girlfriend to her feet and hooks one arm around Alex's waist, literally dragging her to the exit. "No, Piper, let's go back. It's so fun, bae." She slurs. Piper rolls her eyes.

"Bae? Really?" She mutters under her breath as she hauls ass through the door and out into the street.

"My mom died." Alex's voice is a little quieter now.

"I'm sorry, Al." Piper says genuinely as they stumble towards her car.

"Why?" The brunette asks.

"I just am." She says blankly, pulling the passenger door open and making sure the stoned girl is well and truly seat belted in. "You're a fucking idiot." Piper says after a moment, the girl in the passenger seat almost licking the windows at this point. At least she isn't choking, or dying.

"But I'm your idiot." Alex giggles happily as she gazes with puppy dog eyes over at the blonde. Piper would continue chastising Alex, but quite frankly the brunette won't remember a thing in the morning, so it'd be a waste of breath.

"You're my idiot." Piper agrees with a small smile. The pair drive on in silence, Piper's eyes fixed firmly on the road while Alex fiddles with the hem of her t shirt as if it's the second coming of Christ.

"Why are you here?" Alex asks as they pull up to Piper's hotel.

"Because I love you." Piper doesn't feel like explaining the route that took her here, so hopefully that will suffice.

"I-L-Y too bae." Alex spells out when Piper's arm wraps securely around her waist. It's the most ridiculous thing Piper has ever heard Alex say, but it makes her heart flutter anyway. It's a horribly fucked up situation that Piper will have to deal with in the morning, and Alex will hate her for coming back, but she'll have to live with it, because Piper sure as hell isn't leaving again. Heroin is no laughing matter, and while Alex might still be at that euphoric level, soon enough she'll be a vomiting, quivering mess in the hotel bathroom. Piper will still be there, though. The blonde unlocks the door to her room and brings Alex inside, flicking the light on. She lays Alex down on the bed, taking the brunette's shoes off and turning to go to the bathroom.

"Piper!" Alex says before she goes.

"What?" She only got about halfway across the large suite.

"Don't you go!" The brunette says, sounding rather upset.

"I'm just going to the bathroom." Piper shakes her head and furrows her eyebrows, turning on her heel again.

"Don't you fuckin' leave me!" Alex cries, her voice cracking slightly. Piper freezes on the spot. Alex stares at the love of her life's back, willing her to return.

"Okay." She whispers.

"Okay what?" Alex pleads with the other girl. Finally, Piper turns on her heel and walks back to the brunette, crouching in front of her pillow and staring intently into her jade irises.

"I'm here." Piper assures Alex quietly. The brunette fixes her glasses nervously before smiling. And that's all it takes; Alex flashes that stupid smile and Piper's absolutely sure she never fell out of love with the girl, not for a second. It's just so good to see that smile again.

* * *

Sorry if the drug thing sounded totally wrong or you don't agree with what I've written. If you do have any thoughts, let me know. :)


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Okay, it's time for you to read the words I've been dreading writing for the last month. _**This story is coming to a** **close.**_ I quite frankly have no angst left in me, and I have a problem writing chapters where the storyline and characters fail to develop, so although I could write another 100k of fluff, there's not much point. Double update tonight, though, and probably another two chapters left after that. This is important; if you have literally **_any _**ideas for a sequel or any other kind of AU ideas, tell me in the reviews, PM me or talk to me on Twitter ( omgschilling). As always, thank you so much for all your incredible feedback, it actually makes my life, you have no idea.

* * *

It's fucking crazy how much can change in a year. Yet, it only takes one day to die, one day to fall in love, one day to ruin everything. Anything can happen in a day, never mind a year. This time three hundred and sixty five days ago, Piper and Alex were in the Seychelles for the brunette's birthday, doing body shots of tequila on a secluded stretch of land at the back of the villa Piper had rented for the week while the scorching sun tanned their already darkening skin. Fast forward a year filled with triumphs, successes, break ups, death and drug usage, and Alex was currently shaking and violently puking into a hotel toilet while Piper gingerly held her raven strands away from her face, feeling awkward and for once in her life not knowing what to say. One thing Piper had always loved about her relationship with Alex was the talking, their ability to speak about irrelevant things until the early hours of the morning. Yet here she was, absolutely at a loss. The only sounds came from the poor brunette throwing up or occasionally groaning. For possibly the first time in her time with Alex, Piper did not have any idea of what to say. So the blonde wordlessly held her ex girlfriend's hair until her thighs burned with crouching for so long. Still, she didn't leave. Alex didn't know what to say either, but she was in no fit state to thank Piper; everything was still pretty hazy. Neither girl knew how much time passed in the deafening silence of the spacious bathroom that still managed to feel suffocating. Everything Piper was still living for, still breathing for was packed into that room. The two sides of her coin; the workaholic and the one that was irreversibly in love with Alex were finally done fighting. This time, Alex had won. Piper would make sure there wouldn't be a second time. The crackling tension in the room fades finally as the blonde realises her sickly guest has slumped against the toilet seat, glasses hanging half off her face and breathing deeply. She's asleep or simply passed out. Piper moves Alex's head off the seat and takes her glasses off, putting them on her own head. She silently thanks herself for working out so much as she lifts the taller girl in her arms, muscles rippling as she carries the unconscious form back to bed. Alex never stirs; she never feels the warm lips pressing to her forehead that she's missed so _fucking_ much over the past few months. Piper's much too on edge to sleep, so she walks down to the deserted foyer in the death of night and buys a packet of cigarettes and a novel before returning to her room. Alex lies soundly asleep, blissfully ignorant to her saviour's restlessness. Yes, Piper might be fighting a battle she may not win, but at least she has a night of being in the same room as Alex without them wanting to kill each other. The morning will bring with it a storm of harsh words and scathing insults, but for now, cigarettes, a book and the sound of Alex snoring will do just nicely.

* * *

Alex is roused by the late afternoon sun streaming in through a open window opposite her, dust particles dancing in the light and causing her to squint. Her vision is blurred like the memories of last night, but the pounding in her head weighs her down, so the brunette lies still and waits for her vision to readjust as much as possible without the aid of her glasses. Eventually, she focuses on a figure breaking up the corridor of light coming through the window. Piper Chapman sits perched on the ledge, clad in nothing but her fucking navy lace underwear. Her right leg is stretched straight out in front of her while her left is bent slightly at the knee, her back resting straight against the side of the window. Alex shouldn't be doing it, but she rakes her eyes over her ex girlfriend's slightly bronzed, lithe form for a hell of a long time. Piper's left arm rests nonchalantly on top of her raised leg, but between her long index and third fingers on her right hand rests a cigarette, a thin stream of smoke rising slowly from the glowing end. Alex doesn't say anything, but observes the oblivious blonde raising the cigarette to her parted lips and taking a slow drag, eyelids closing as she exhales the smoke out through the wide, open window, a backdrop of terraced apartments behind her. Alex watches her, drinks her in, stares as Piper's well manicured thumbnail flicks the end of the cigarette, causing ashes to fall into the ashtray resting by her hipbone, noticing how the soft breeze blows the ends of Piper's hair slightly. The blonde's face is turned towards the sun, and she fails to notice those green eyes watching her.

"Since when do you smoke?" Alex's hoarse voice comes from the bed. Piper isn't startled; she just takes another drag before answering.

"It's a stress thing." Piper says with a small shrug.

"It's bad for you." Alex tells her.

"Aren't all the best things in life bad for us?" Piper fires back without missing a beat. She extinguishes the cigarette before hopping off the ledge and sauntering over to the bed. She sits at the foot of it, gauging Alex's reaction before moving a little closer. Those green irises never move from her blue ones, but the younger girl's expression is unreadable. Is she sad? Angry? Confused? Hurt? Piper would guess she's all of these things.

"I guess they are. But that doesn't mean bad things are always good." Alex replies quietly.

"No. No, it doesn't." Piper agrees with a solemn nod. "It's good to see your face." She says honestly after a moment.

"I don't know what to say..." Alex trails off.

"You have every right to be angry." Piper informs her. She wouldn't blame Alex if she kicked her out for meddling in her affairs when the blonde had absolutely no right to.

"I don't know if I'm angry." She says sadly. "I'm confused by you." Her eyes narrow.

"I'm confused by me, too. I'm pretty much the master of handling things completely wrong." Piper runs her fingers through her hair agitatedly as the brunette continues to look at her.

"That's an understatement."

"I'm a fuck up. And now, I get to be a fuckup in a massive apartment in Manhattan, too drunk most of the time to even open my curtains. I'm really fucking lonely, Alex." Regret laces her tone as Alex's expression stays fairly neutral.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find somebody to keep your bed warm." Piper rolls her eyes at that and stands from the bed. Her hand moves to her forehead.

"Shut up." She seethes. "How could I _possibly_ move on when your fingerprints are everywhere and I still hear your voice before I go to sleep?! You're all I ever think about Alex, and I can't fucking live without you. It's stupid, self involved and narcissistic, but I can't do it anymore." Piper turns pleadingly back to Alex. "You are _everything_ to me Alex. At all hours of the morning when I should be asleep I'm lying there thinking about all the things I could have said, and all the things I thought I'd never be able to say again. You're my beginning and my ending, Alex." Piper finishes with angry tears stinging her eyes. "I'll give up my business; I already am. I..." the blonde hesitates. "I nearly fucking did heroin. Again."

"You what?" Finally, Alex registers some semblance of emotion. "Piper, you... What do you mean again?!"

"It was ages ago." Piper waves her hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter. Alex, you have to promise me you'll never fucking do that again. Fahri- he..." Piper feels her temper rising. "He'll fucking ruin your life. God knows he ruined mine. Jesus, I should just fucking snap his neck."

"You can't. You'll go to prison!" Alex pleads with the enraged blonde.

"He could have killed you, Alex! All to get back at me! I put you in danger..." Piper falls back onto the bed heavily. "I'm not good for you, Alex, I can't fucking stand the fact he got to you before I did."

"It's not your fault...I...he..." Alex fails to form a coherent sentence for a moment. "I would've gone with him anyway, I was so fucking upset and pained and I couldn't stand it. I'm sorry, Piper." Tears prick at the corner of her eyes.

"You can't leave me." Piper begs with the girl beside her. "I don't have anyone left."

Finally, all their cards are on the table. "I'm sorry, Piper. I'm sorry for all of it. I know that my track record is shit, but I really do love you." Alex says in a quiet, surrendering tone. No, Alex is not suggesting that she wants Piper back as her girlfriend right now. She just wants Piper to stay, like she should have stayed in Paris.

"I know." Piper has that look on her face, that one of otherness, her blue eyes seeing things much too far and her thoughts taking her to a deadly precipice off the end of the world. Her next words will change the course of the rest of her life. She stays and goes through this mourning process with Alex, she runs the risk of the brunette breaking it all off after it's over, or she leaves Alex first and gives up before she even really starts. "I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart." In the end, it's not even a difficult choice to make. Piper would choose Alex a thousand times over if it meant she could fix what happened in the past three months.

Because, after everything that's happened, it's always been Alex, really; from the moment she walked into that office, until she walked out in Paris, and even when she injected that heroin into her bloodstream. Piper loves Alex, and finally, she's learning to deal with it.

Alex regards the blonde with a sense of wonderment for the next two days. Each morning, she wakes up to a similar sight, involving Piper, a cigarette and a windowsill. The second morning Piper's leaning outside, and even though the weight of her mother's death hangs over Alex's shoulders painfully, she's not one to turn a blind eye to the blonde's ass. You can hardly blame her. But apart from a few longing glances here and there, their relationship stays firmly platonic for a full seventy two hours. That is, they don't kiss for that long.

It must be difficult for Piper, it _is _difficult for Piper, to have to go through the pain of a mother's death once more, but she sticks to her guns. She helps Alex arrange the funeral, wipes her tears when she cries and holds her until she falls asleep. Piper does it without complaint; she stays the hell away from work until she's absolutely certain Alex is sound asleep. It's not going behind her back, per se, Piper just really needs to get the damn place sold. She'll talk with her accountant or Robert for a while before falling asleep in the room adjacent to Alex. The first night, anyway. The second night goes a little differently.

"Stay." Alex murmurs sleepily as the blonde goes to steal out into the room next door. She jumps; she thought Alex was definitely asleep. "Please." Piper sighs before slinking back over to the large bed and hovering slightly. She raises an eyebrow at the brunette who peaks up from her pillow. "Come be my little spoon." Alex grins slyly and rubs the mattress in front of her. Piper can't even begin to formulate all the reasons why this is a bad idea, why they definitely should not be cuddling when it's uncalled for, because Alex beckons her with an expectant smile and bright eyes, so the blonde just slides in alongside her. Her _ex girlfriend_ then goes ahead and moves Piper's hair to the side, kissing her softly on the neck, because that's exactly the sort of behaviour ex girlfriends get up to, right? Piper doesn't feel like sleeping, though, so she turns to face the brunette and looks into those life-ruining irises again. It feels fan-fucking-tastic to be in bed with Alex again, and the brunette's fingers run lightly up and down Piper's arm as they continue to look at each other with quiet amazement in their eyes. Piper's lips are parted, as if she can't quite comprehend how things have worked out so well. Alex has a little smile tugging at her lips and her eyes crinkle slightly. She can believe it.

"I'm glad we have each other again, kid." Alex admits with a timid smile.

"Yeah, me too." Piper agrees, her warm breath fanning over the brunette's face. "I mean, I'd rather be on a beach in Tahiti, but this is a close second." Alex continues stroking Piper's arm lightly as the paring continue their endless struggle to figure out how, or why, they're so damn in love, but they're as clueless to the answer as they were almost two years ago that first day in the office. It doesn't really matter, though.

"Why do you always feel so inevitable to me?" Alex says quietly with a grin, a subtle reminder to Piper's words in Paris. She'd been right all along.

"I heart you." Piper breathes quietly before chuckling at the brunette's bemused expression.

"You heart me?" Alex laughs properly for the first time in months.

"Yeah!" The blonde reiterates with a wide grin.

"What is that? Is that like I love you for pussies?" The younger girl questions through her laughter. Finally, she's happy. They're happy. They're okay. The funeral's tomorrow, but they'll get through it. They always find their way back to each other; after Milan, after Paris, and after the funeral will be no different.

"Say pussy again." Piper hums teasingly, linking her fingers with Alex's that rest on the blonde's cheek. The pair laugh a little more in their secluded little world behind a locked hotel room door.

It's toxic, dangerous and absolutely destructive to all those involved, but they don't care anymore. Fuck what everyone else thinks, fuck being scared, fucking trying to delay the inevitable; Piper Chapman and Alex Vause are in love, and there's not a damn thing that's ever going to change it. It's a terrifying, wonderful love; not the kind to settle down behind a white picket fence or have a little family running around while they go to their nine to five jobs. It's their love; it's unpredictable, volatile and borderline dangerous. But it's theirs, and they're tired of fighting it.

"I heart you, too." Alex's voice is thick with emotion, now. They're four catastrophic, life-altering words. And, _God,_ it feels fucking amazing to say them and see the blue eyes of the love of her life cloud over slightly with joyful tears. They're better than okay; they're fucking safe and warm and happy and content. They're together. It's enough. Alex has got her girl again, and she sure as hell isn't letting go this time.

* * *

Unfortunately, Piper drifts off to a deep sleep before things can go any further. Alex studies her peaceful expression in the dark before falling into her own contended slumber. She's sure as hell going to need all the strength she can get for this funeral. It's the same as all the other mornings; Alex blinks herself awake and sees Piper sitting on the windowsill. It's almost identical to the first morning, apart from a book now resting on the blonde's toned left thigh. As always, Alex watches her, lust building morning after morning. Yes, smoking is bad for you. But, fucking hell, the way Piper's eyelids close and her lips part to exhale the wispy smoke out into the atmosphere and then flick the ashes callously into the tray is fucking attractive as hell. The whole half naked aspect and sunlight illuminating her toned body doesn't exactly detract from her appearance either. Piper shifts into the light more, only slightly sitting on the ledge now, more standing up, as the light streams over her shoulders onto the page. _Is she doing this on purpose?_ Alex wonders as she takes another long drag from the cigarette, holding it loosely between her fingers. It's quite a nice distraction from the crippling, daunting task of going to a funeral, so Alex doesn't think about it much as she steps out of bed and almost has to stop herself from running to the little fucking tease perched on the windowsill. She strides determinedly, though, long pale legs carrying her almost right to Piper before the blonde looks up and smiles.

"Good m-" She's cut off by Alex crashing their lips together, the brunette's hands on the ledge either side of Piper, effectively trapping her. The blonde takes a moment to react (her hands are rather full with the book and cigarettes), but she does her best to return the kiss hungrily. Alex moves her left hand into Piper's right and takes the cigarette, stabbing it out into the ashtray without breaking the kiss. Piper drops the book to the floor and finally, fucking finally, tangles her fingers in Alex's silky smooth hair and kisses her properly whilst Alex's hands moved to Piper's ass, lifting her onto the ledge and running her tongue desperately over the blonde's bottom lip, biting down slightly when Piper wraps her long legs around Alex's back. It's desperate, apologetic, needy, every emotion poured into the kiss, but it's fucking fantastic. Piper's lips taste like vanilla, smoke and honey, but finally, Alex places that last thing; Piper's lips taste like home. Her warm hands on Alex's face feel like home and her breathy moans in between kisses sound like home. Alex has a funeral in three hours and she's in a random hotel room in New Jersey, but she's home, and that's all that matters. The kiss breaks eventually, Alex's lips moving to Piper's neck momentarily and sucking lightly.

"What the fuck was that about?" Piper's breathing is heavy by the time Alex finishes leaving a sizable mark on the base of the blonde's neck.

"I just missed you." Alex shrugs sheepishly before Piper kisses her chastely again.

"Maybe you should miss me more often." She teases.

"I don't think so." Alex mutters against her lips. "You're mine for good now." She smirks, trailing her fingers over Piper's thighs.

"I've never been the one for anybody." The blonde explains rather timidly., suddenly overcome with shyness.

"You'll get used to it, baby." Alex promises, trailing her fingers under Piper's chin and brushing her lips against the blonde's sweetly.

"Why? Why am I the one?" Piper wonders against Alex's lips.

"Because my life finally feels worth living now that you've walked back into it." Alex says simply, stroking her thumb lovingly over Piper's warm cheek. The smaller girl nods slowly, as if absorbing this information that is utterly unfathomable to her. Finally, she speaks.

"Yours." The blonde agrees, bursting to the seams with happiness at Alex's words. There's a funeral to be attended, but for the moment, sunlight enveloping their bodies, they're happy. Things are looking up.

* * *

Feels so good to be able to write these two adorable idiots being... well, two adorable idiots again. Leave a review if you feel so inclined. x


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Yay for double updates! Basically just smut and a cute little bit of Alex asking Piper out in this chapter. By the way, if you ever want visuals or commentary on my fic (which happens a lot), follow me on Twitter omgschilling; quite often me and a few of my baes on there are having some sort of fit over a Laura/Taylor pic that reminds us of the characters in this story. Such fun! :-)

* * *

"Stop biting your lip, please, sweetheart. It's very distracting." Piper drawls over at the girl in the passenger seat. Alex blushes slightly and fixes her glasses.

"Sorry. Nerves." She says rather timidly.

"Hey." The blonde tilts her head and gazes at Alex. She moves a hand from the steering wheel of the Ferrari onto Alex's thigh. "It'll be okay." She says comfortingly, not very innocently at all rubbing Alex's upper leg, silently thankful for the slit up the hem of her black dress.

"Not helping." She grinds her teeth and Piper just chuckles lowly and continues to drive like that, one hand on the steering wheel and the other drawing mindless patterns on Alex's thigh.

"She'll be proud of you no matter what you say." Piper assures the brunette once they reach the hill at the top of the chapel and graveyard.

"I hope so." She whispers quietly, more to herself as Piper opens the door for her and offers her hand.

"I'll be here when you're done." The blonde assures Alex, rubbing her hands over the taller girl's shoulders soothingly. Alex makes no attempt to leave however, scuffing her heels rather nervously on the gravel. "What's wrong, babe?" Piper questions, stroking the younger girl's cheek earnestly.

"You love me." Alex says rather obviously. Piper looks rather vulnerable, then, and looks back at the younger girl with wide eyes.

"Yes." The blonde says genuinely. "I do." Alex still stands rather nervously playing with the hem of Piper's dress, wondering what to say next.

"Do you want to... you know..." She trails off and Piper's face screws up.

"Fuck? Alex, I mean I'm never one to say no, but-" Alex cuts her off with a flurry of words.

"Be my girlfriend again?" She splutters out quickly, not looking at Piper. The audacity to even ask such a question after her actions in Paris is morally questionable to say the least. Piper just laughs disbelievingly.

"Sure I do." She confirms, brushing her lips against Alex's before clapping the taller girl's shoulders softly. "Now go knock 'em dead, Al."

"I'll do my best." The brunette says with a smile before turning and heading down the rather steep hill to her mother's funeral, safe in the knowledge her girlfriend will be waiting for her when it's all over. Alex realises then why she found the whole time between Paris and the night of her mother's death so damn painful; there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Without Piper, all Alex could see was the irrevocable nature of her mother's condition, and it was that which made her so miserable and sad all the damn time. Hell, it's probably what made her take the drugs. But it's fine, she's okay; she doesn't cry too hard reading the little speech she's prepared for her mother, because she sees Piper out of the corner of her eye, leaning against the side of the gleaming red Ferrari, wiping at her own tears that she thought no one could see. The brunette is hurting like hell, but the pain gradually fades as she says her parting words to the casket. It's fucking agonising to be saying goodbye, but the pain is necessary. Her father envelops Alex in a warm hug after she's finished, and suddenly Alex thinks things are actually looking up for her family for the first time since her mother was diagnosed.

Piper had always said Alex would sound hot even reading an obituary or something along those lines, and whilst the blonde could barely make out the words from her watchful position and the heartfelt words didn't turn her on, per se, they still managed to make her choke up with emotion. A frosty wind gathered over the small group around the gravestone, but Piper melted at the words of love spoken by her girlfriend. It wasn't terribly long or overbearingly clichéd, it was just so _Alex._ Diane Vause would've fucking loved it. Piper discarded the last of her cigarettes in the bin; she wasn't stressed anymore. Finally, she'd found her way back to Alex and managed to sort herself out; she hadn't had a drink in almost a week. Whilst she waited for the funeral party inside the chapel to finish up, her phone rang from the pocket of her trench coat.

"Robert." She smiled happily upon answering.

"I've got some good news and some bad news, boss." He replied down the line.

"Hit me." Piper shrugged to herself. Unless the bad news involved Alex, there's a pretty big chance it wasn't bad news at all.

"Well, the bad news is that your business is being sold." He tells her, and a huge grin spreads onto Piper's face.

"If that's the bad news I can't wait to hear the good news." Piper smirks to herself. Never did she think the day would come she'd be happy to sell her business.

"They're offering you-"Robert hesitates slightly, double checking the number of zeros on the page. "Four point six billion dollars." Piper's breath catches in her throat as she swallows at the same time he reads the numbers out. She coughs, hard, and slams her fist against her chest to try and formulate a reply.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?" She exclaims with a bright laugh before remembering she's probably on holy ground or something. "I'm gonna be a billionare?"

"Looks like it. You need to come home and sign the papers, obviously, but in principle it's done." Piper squeals gleefully right there in the middle of the damn road, turning and resting her hands on the roof of the Ferrari.

"Thanks, Robert. I'll see you soon."

"Yes, Piper, soon, or they're gonna retract their-" Piper feels the phone being taken from her grasp as a comfortable weight presses her against the car.

"What're you so happy about?" A raspy voice whispers in her ear as Alex's warm body presses Piper impossibly tighter to the car and moves her blonde hair over her right shoulder, setting the phone on the roof far from them. Everyone else is still in the chapel, but quite frankly Alex had had enough of fake bitches pretending like they actually gave a damn about her mother. She said what she needed to say and got the hell out of there.

"May or may not have just become a billionaire and may or may not be being pressed up against my four hundred thousand dollar Ferrari by my beautiful, charming, infuriatingly sexy girlfriend." Piper murmurs, biting her lip to keep from crying out as Alex's hands slip into the deep pockets of Piper's navy coat and ghost across her hips and front.

"Sounds nice." Alex husks, kissing the trapped girl's neck sensually.

"S'alright." Piper curses under her breath at what Alex is doing to her.

"You wanna go back to the hotel?" The brunette whispers in Piper's ear, drawing her hands from the trench coat only to unbutton it and splay her hands across the front of Piper's dress, drumming her fingers over the thin material.

"Okay." Piper squeaks, squeezing her eyes shut and using all her willpower to stop from literally screaming from desire right outside a chapel in the middle of a damn road. What can she say? Alex makes her do questionable things.

"What?" Alex questions lowly, digging her fingers into Piper's hips as the blonde grinds back against her desperately.

"Please can we go back to the hotel." Piper's sure her lip will bruise with the tremendous amount of biting she's doing.

"To do what?" Alex asks innocently, dragging her tongue up the length of exposed skin on Piper's neck.

"You tell me." Piper breathes, clasping her own hands over Alex's on her hips while still trying to move for any kind of friction.

"I don't think you're in a position to be making demands." The brunette informs her girlfriend, slipping her fingers under the hem of Piper's dress to illustrate her point. "Just tell me what you want, Pipes." She strokes the blonde's inner thigh over the material of her tights while placing wet kisses on Piper's jawline.

"I..." Finally, the dam breaks and Piper lets out a ragged moan, right there within earshot of a chapel. God would be so disappointed in her. Oh, well. "I need you, to take me back to the hotel and make up for all the lost time which is totally your fault. I think you owe me."

"Mmm, how can I ever make it up to you?" Alex squeezes Piper's thigh lightly as the blonde turns her head and kisses Alex as hard as she can from her position against the car.

"I can think of a few things."

"Like?" Alex teases against her breathless girlfriend's lips.

"Like fucking me so hard I can't walk straight for days." She offers with a sly grin as Alex's fingers dig impossibly harder on her hips, surely leaving a slight bruise.

"That I can do for you." Alex nods and releases her iron grip on Piper's sides. The pair step into the car rather sheepishly, breathing laboured.

"Hey, Al." Piper says before she stars the engine. "You okay?" Whilst it's all well and good to fuck your problems away, at the end of the day it sometimes doesn't change whether a person's okay or not. Yes, a few orgasms from Piper Chapman will probably change your life, but it won't just magically piece you back together and make you whole again.

"You know what, Pipes?" Alex says after a moment of looking into Piper's concerned baby blues. "For the first time in a long, long while, I think I might be."

* * *

"Please, Piper." Alex moans roughly, pulling at the head of blonde hair between her thighs. Piper just grins and places a kiss on the inside of Alex's thigh before moving back up her body.

"I want you sore, baby." Piper breathes against the brunette's neck as the girl below her lets out a shallow breath.

"Sore as in?" Sure, Alex is into sex, but she draws the line and being tied up or any of that.

"Sore as in you won't be able to go out in public because of all the marks I'm going to leave on you." The blonde whispers, attaching her lips to Alex's pulse point for a split second. "Or sore as in you'll be writhing so much you'll probably pull a muscle." Piper's voice is as thick as Alex has ever heard it, hot and warm against the brunette's neck as the older girl continues biting Alex's skin. "Or sore as in your voice will be ruined for the next few days because of all the begging and screaming you'll be doing."

"Oh." Alex rather uncharacteristically squeaks and nods her head, absolutely speechless. Fucking Piper Chapman and her velvety smooth voice and her ridiculously callous manner. Alex's pale skin prickled with goose bumps and her toes curled in anticipation at the blonde's words. It has been one hell of a long day; empty pizza boxes lie strewn across the bedroom floor along with a bottle or three of Peroni (Alex's) and...a fucking chocolate Milkshake (Piper's, obviously). But forget that, forget what lies forgotten on the floor, because Piper's long, sure fingers are digging rather hard on Alex's raised hips and she is leaving a hell of an array of marks on the brunette's neck.

"I swear to God, I won't fucking stop until you're shaking." Piper husks as she comes to eye level with Alex, smirking crookedly at the dark eyes of her lover. Alex shudders involuntarily and winds her fingers in Piper's soft hair as the blonde's hands run over the younger girl's bare chest. The pair hesitate ever so slightly, gazing adoringly at each other before their lips meet heatedly, Piper biting down on the full bottom lip of her girlfriend and eliciting a small moan from her before slipping her tongue easily into Alex's mouth. She tries desperately to gain a foothold in the kiss, but Piper's tongue is domineering and traces over her teeth eagerly, tasting and probing the warm confines she knows so well. The brunette's nerves are hyper active, so she can do little else but pull the hair at the nape of Piper's neck and massage the blonde's wicked tongue with her own. Rather suddenly, Piper dragged her hot, dripping core up Alex's thigh, causing a rough moan to fall from both their lips as the kiss broke. Their foreheads rested against each other, warm breath fanning over their faces as the blonde continued grinding her hips on Alex's thigh, smirking at the younger girl's frustration.

"I thought this was about me." Alex growls, discontent that she's already made Piper come twice and now seems to be being used an object for the blonde to grind on.

"I thought I was the narcissist." Piper says breathlessly, but eventually stills her movements and slides down her girlfriend's body slowly before her lips meet Alex's collarbones. The girl beneath her hisses in a delightful sort of pain as Piper's teeth nip at her, leaving a small mark on both collarbones. Piper flattens her tongue against the pained skin rather lovingly as her hands tiptoe from Alex's stomach to her chest, lazily stroking the soft skin there rather teasingly.

"Why do you _always_ do this?" Alex questions, pulling Piper's hair roughly back up towards her face. "Babe, I am all for romance and slow and long and loving, but I am not in the fucking mood for your fingers softly dancing across my fucking boobs. I need you to _fuck_ me, Piper. Really fuck me." Piper just smirks devilishly.

"You'll have to beg harder than that." She informs with a cock of her eyebrows before melding her lips against Alex's and taking one of the brunette's nipples roughly between her thumb and forefinger, pulling and tweaking as Alex arches into her touch. The blonde forces her left hand down to Alex's hips and pins her to the mattress, growling into the kiss. Alex kisses Piper like she's going out of fashion; passionate and possessive, borderline aggressive with a little bite of her lip, cupping Piper's cheek with her hand to pull them impossibly closer. "How bad do you want it, baby?" Piper questions with a glint in her eye and another sharp pull on Alex's nipple, causing the brunette's body to jerk slightly and a sharp intake of breath pierces the room.

"So bad." Alex's voice is thick with desire.

"Beg." Piper commands.

"I already am." Alex's face screws up slightly as Piper's hand on her hip presses harder into the sensitive flesh there. "I'm fucking-" She gasps as Piper licks the space between her breasts seductively. "Please. I need you." Alex is far too turned on to even form any sort of complex sentence right now, or blush at how wantonly desperate she sounds. Her nails rake harshly down the blonde's sculpted back, probably leaving a mark. Even the very thought of Piper's hands touching her where she needs it most sends a hot flush straight through her. Alex wants Piper then in the most animalistic, worst way possible, and if Piper doesn't hurry the fuck up there's going to be a riot. The blonde looks smugly up at her girlfriend through hooded eyes before releasing her rock hard nipple with a pop and fucking finally moving southward. Alex's eyes roll backwards into that irrefutable stillness as the older girl speaks in forbidden tongue against her toned stomach between kisses.

"I have a desire for every inch of you, Alex; I crave you, I have craved you since the day you walked into my office with that fucking shirt on and those big wide eyes as if you were far too prim and proper to be imagining me bending you over my desk and fucking you until you couldn't walk. Yeah, I noticed." The blonde smirks and Alex should really be blushing, but instead she just lets out a shaky breath and closes her eyes. Piper sure as hell isn't going to make this one a quick fuck with no words but the moans spilling from Alex's mouth. But it just turns her on impossibly further; anticipation is nine tenths of delight, after all. "You know me, Alex." Piper teases with a kiss on Alex's hipbone. "You're mine."

"Yours, I'm yours." Alex moans huskily and repeats Piper's words from this morning, raising her hips as Piper's teasing fingers run dangerously close to her centre.

"I'm an angel, right?" Piper questions lightly, lips pressed against those shapely hips of the brunette she loves so much.

"You're an angel. Like, ninety nine percent." Alex mumbles incoherently, her mind absolutely clouded with lust.

"But, oh, that one percent." Piper drawls and bites down again on the flesh of her lover's skin. "It's going to fucking ruin you, Alex." The blonde finishes with a slow lick down the V of Alex's hips before her fingers finally make contact with the brunette's aching core. Alex lets out a gravelly moan and immediately tries to grind her hips against Piper's hand.

"Fuck me." She manages to get out, hand gripping the headboard above her as her girlfriend slips a long, talented digit inside her for the first time in almost three godforsaken months.

"Babe, I'm going to fuck you so hard the people six floors below us won't even be able to sleep." The blonde promises, pulling at Alex's leg to widen her further. The younger girl wraps her legs around Piper's waist as she settles between them. Alex takes a moment to observe her girlfriend; feathered blonde hair falling into her eyes slightly and pupils dilated beyond belief, irises flaring with lust and desire. Her cheeks are flushed, lips moist and parted, slightly reddening where Alex had bitten down a few moments ago. Piper Chapman is not pretty or cute in that moment, she's fucking panty-soaking, knee weakening _gorgeous. _So much more than even just sexy; the blonde is irresistibly seductive with that ridiculously wanton look in her eyes as her finger curls wickedly inside Alex. Fuck drawing it out, though; Piper wants Alex to come unravelled as quickly as possible, so she enters a second finger effortlessly inside the brunette.

"Piper-" Alex repeats her lover's name like a mantra as her hips move perfectly in time with the blonde's sure thrusts hitting perfectly inside her. Piper moves lower, shifting until her lips come into contact with the inside of Alex's thigh, nipping and kissing the skin dangerously close to her centre while still fucking the brunette roughly. Her free hand splays low over Alex's stomach, keeping her hips under control as best she can. The younger girl threads her fingers through Piper's hair harshly, closing her eyes in unadulterated pleasure and cursing under her breath as the blonde's talented fingers enter her at pace and curl against her walls perfectly. Piper moves her thumb onto Alex's clit, tormenting her with relentless strokes against it while adding a third finger. Incoherencies and soft moans sounding a little like Piper's name flow from Alex's lips almost constantly as the blonde drags her teeth down the inside of her girlfriend's thigh almost to the curve of her ass. Alex hisses and grinds her teeth, Piper continuing her relentless assault on the younger girl's core with unwavering devotion. She continues kissing everywhere she can reach but the place where Alex needs her most, each press of her lips against the brunette's heated skin a small reminder of who's in control here. Piper curls her fingers again and hits that blessed spot deep within the brunette and Alex's hips arch involuntarily upwards.

"Lie still." Piper's rough voice commands between kisses, and Alex just moans louder as that familiar feeling of fire ignites within her and her stomach coils in pleasure.

"Jesus, I-" Alex attempts to speak fail miserably as Piper's long fingers stroke her perfectly, hitting that explosive spot inside her harshly a few times more before a blinding climax tears through Alex, low moans filling the air as the brunette grips the headboard impossibly tightly and squeezes her eyes shut with inexplicable pleasure. Piper smirks rather smugly from her position between her girlfriend's legs as Alex's walls clench delightfully around her fingers that flex ever so slightly as the brunette's orgasm washes over her. Naturally, Piper doesn't relent or wait for Alex's breath to even out; she simply moves again so her lips are finally in front of her girlfriend's dripping core. She exhales rather deliberately, warm breath fanning over the girl whose legs are currently wrapped around the blonde's neck.

"Fuck." Alex's voice is hoarse with moaning and Piper can't help but grin at the state of the brunette already.

"Oh, baby, I haven't even started yet." She drawls before licking slowly up Alex's wet slit. Suddenly, she removes her fingers from Alex and clasps her hands rather casually behind her back. For once, the younger girl is glad her girlfriend is so smug sometimes. Her breath hitches as Piper's nose bumps deliberately against her oversensitive clit. And then Piper just fucking ruins Alex _again,_ biting and licking and fucking the brunette with only her mouth, teeth lightly dragging over Alex's bundle of nerves before her tongue delves inside her entrance momentarily. The younger girl moves her hand away from the headboard and onto the sheet, gathering it tightly between her fingers. Piper lets out a guttural moan of her own as she's overran with the taste of Alex; she's been fucking starved during their months of separation. Piper's wicked tongue works wonders as deep inside Alex's centre as she can manage. Occasionally, she'd relent for a moment, but only to kiss her girlfriend's clit for a second or draw it between her lips. Alex felt like she was going to fucking explode with desire, and Piper still had her damn hands clasped behind her back. It probably wasn't her best display of willpower, but once again Alex felt herself unravel underneath the delightful tongue of her lover.

"Oh my god, Piper." Alex drew out the last syllable of the blonde's name in a husky drawl, locking her legs tighter around Piper's neck and pulling her blonde locks rather hard, passion spreading to every fibre of her being, her girlfriend's name repeated a hell of a lot louder than it was five minutes ago. Piper winces in pain as Alex's fingers pull her hair harshly, but she continues on until her lover's second orgasm explodes within her. The older girl flattens her tongue and lazily licks up Alex's juices as the brunette attempts to find purpose above her. Piper actually has the audacity to laugh smugly at her talents, but Alex isn't in a fit state to retaliate apart from narrowing her eyes at the cocky little shit between her legs. But she's also a very fucking talented little shit, so Alex bites her tongue and lets Piper have her moment. She takes one slow lick before crawling back up towards the younger girl's face, her hands finally coming from behind her back to rest on Alex's stomach. She thinks Piper's finished with her, because quite frankly Alex doesn't know if she can take much more, but the blonde has other ideas.

"Turn over." She whispers huskily in Alex's ear, drawing an earlobe between her teeth. Alex's green eyes widen in surprise before she complies. And thank _fuck_ she did, because for the next half an hour Piper kisses and bites the pale skin of her back, ass, shoulders and neck while her fingers enter her roughly, pressing hard against her walls and stroking her impossibly deeper. Eventually, Alex's seemingly never ending lustful haze drives her to flip the blonde onto her own back and inflict her own orgasmic pleasures on Piper, their souls intertwining and whispering unspeakable promises to each other long into the night.

It's sheet ripping, sweat dripping, loud screaming, legs trembling, hair pulling, ass smacking, pure, unadulterated, animalistic _fucking_, and the couple come close to passing out from desire more than once.

"Oh, God, I missed you so fucking much." Piper nuzzles into Alex's sweaty neck as they both silently agree that enough is enough after countless hours of making love.

"My name is Alex, not God." She titters at her own lame joke before the blonde slaps her playfully on the shoulder. I missed you too, kid. Like, it's unexplainable." Alex muses, wiping Piper's matted hair from her forehead. "Do you ever think about why, or how we like... you know, how exactly this happened?" The brunette asks happily from her position with Piper curled against her underneath the rather sticky sheets.

"It probably had something to do with you nearly fucking me against my car." Piper quips, and laughs at the dumbass comment with that eye crinkling smile and adorable laugh/snort thing she does that shows off her dimples. Alex finds it rather funny too, laughing hard for a good minute or two at the blonde's joke.

"You're such a dork, Pipes." Alex shakes her head and strokes the older girl's arm lightly.

"I'm your dork." Piper teases lightly and continues to grin widely against Alex's neck.

"Seriously, though, do you ever think about how we fell in love?" Alex presses again. Piper considers it for a moment, biting her lip thoughtfully before answering.

"Yeah, I think about it a lot. But I never get any closer to understanding."

"Me, too." Alex says wistfully. She thinks the conversation's over before Piper speaks up again.

"I love you without knowing how, or when or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because I know no other way than this: where I does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand." She pauses, trying to remember the last line. "So close that your eyes close as I fall asleep." Piper finishes with a timid smile and a kiss on Alex's neck. The brunette thinks hard for moment before she remembers.

"Pablo Neruda? That's deep, even for you, girl." Alex's low voice teases, another laugh escaping, but it's a kind hearted laugh that she prefers to the equivalent of bursting into emotional tears brought about by her girlfriend's quote.

"That's a funny way of saying thank you." Piper's laughing too, though. "Your turn."

"Oh, you wound me." Alex mock pouts, studying the relaxed planes of Piper's face as the blonde retreats from her position at Alex's neck so she can look into those sparkling green irises. "Hmm..I don't have any quotes, because honestly, I don't think any damn writer has ever written anything that will ever encapsulate whatever the hell it is we have." Alex shrugs for a moment. "I dunno, Piper, you just make me so fucking happy. Like, you make me laugh because I literally cannot contain how happy I am around you. And all those nights I would stay up torturing myself for leaving you I'll never get back, but I'm here now, you're here now, and I swear to God I'm never going anywhere again, no matter what. I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I ended up where I needed to be. And, Piper Chapman, I will love you until the day I die for that." Piper's bright blue eyes sparkle with tears but she manages to hold it together.

"You're a liar, Alex Vause." Piper's voice is a little thick with emotion, but she smiles cryptically at the confused brunette.

"How come?" Alex asks as Piper's right hand moves to her cheek and the younger girl covers it with one of her own.

"You totally just quoted Douglas Adams." She chuckles before brushing her lips chastely against Alex's who just grins sheepishly.

"You got me." She whispers with a quick eyebrow raise before smiling into another lazy kiss with the blonde.

"You're damn right I did." Is all Piper says as the couple continue basking in their immeasurable, unquantifiable love for each other. They're flawed, selfish, and their relationship is borderline unhealthy. Love works in mysterious ways, without consideration or reflection upon who it consumes, but, like Piper said, they love each other straightforwardly, undeniably, and for them, that's good enough for forever. Yes, it would be fair to say that Piper Chapman and Alex Vause are finally _more_ than good enough for just about forever.

The best thing about forever, though? It's happening right now.

* * *

A/N: Oh my god, I'm so cringey. I don't care ugh these two are just so adorable and fluffy and I never want to stop writing them. If you haven't read it, yet, go check the A/N at the start of the last chapter. Read and review you beautiful people.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Penultimate chapter *sobs*. Sorry for the slow update, life's been hectic this week. Would love to get to four hundred reviews before this is all over. As always, thank you so much for your support and reviews, they mean so much. Just absolute fluff here.

* * *

"No, Alex, _you _broke that. I only ripped the sheets."

"This was _so_ you! And what part of ripping sheets is okay?

"No, no, you almost snapped a headboard! That is some Edward Cullen type shit right there."

"What, so in this analogy, you're Kristen Stewart?" Piper stuck her tongue out amusedly and looked at the brunette holding the ripped sheet around her waist. Alex shook her head, but fought lamely to keep the grin off her face.

"If the shoe fits." The blonde shrugged before turning back to the scene in front of them. If the villa in Barcelona was messy, this New Jersey hotel room was an absolute fucking car crash. The fitted sheet of the bed had large slashes through it where Piper had dragged her nails over, the smooth cream pillowcases were in tatters and feathers covered the mattress almost totally, another sheet that currently adorned Alex's shapely hips was in no better condition to the one on the bed, the fluffy down duvet had been well and truly dumped onto a sea of beers and chocolate milkshake, and to top the whole fucking thing off? The one and only Alex Vause had managed to successfully leave a large, splintered imprint in the pale wooden headboard. It wasn't snapped clean in half, of course, but there was still quite a large crack right in the middle. To put it mildly, the room was trashed. It's not like they did it on purpose exactly; the couple just found it a little hard to control themselves during the throes of passion.

"Is there like a limit of the number of hotel rooms you can trash before you end up in prison, or...?" The brunette teased, referring to Piper's inability to ever leave a room nice and tidy and well made up.

"Please, can you imagine me in one of those orange jumpsuits?" Piper scoffed, laughing slightly as she made her way over to her little windowsill for the last time. Alex watched the confident sway of the blonde's naked hips for a moment before dropping the clothes she was idly throwing into Piper's suitcase and sneaking up behind her girlfriend.

"Hmm, I think you'd look hot." Alex mumbled against the cool skin of Piper's neck, snaking her arms around the blonde's waist and pressing her against the ledge.

"I can think of something a little hotter, babe." Piper countered with a low voice, turning in her girlfriend's grip so that she could perch on the ledge and pull Alex flush against her. The brunette hummed slightly against Piper's lips while running her fingers lightly up her toned thighs. To say she'd been patiently waiting to fuck Piper on this ledge since the first morning she woke up would be an understatement, not to mention a lie; she'd been _far _from patient. She brought her lips to Piper's jaw line, kissing it for a moment before whispering hotly in her ear.

"Just a little."

* * *

The gleaming red Ferrari pulled effortlessly into the gas station, low evening sun reflecting off the glossy exterior as the couple inside shielded their eyes from the blinding horizon of New York and beyond.

"You want anything?" Piper enquired, raising a quizzical eyebrow at her passenger. Alex chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully before replying.

"Yeah, I'll go have a look." The brunette nodded, slipping from the car and into the small store beside the gas pumps. Piper watched her enter before getting out her own side and popping the petrol cap off. A dumbstruck smile adorned her lips as she nonchalantly filled up the tank; who'd of thought this time last week she'd be doing domesticated little tasks like going to gas stations with Alex again? Domesticated was about the last word anyone would choose to describe Piper Chapman; she was volatile, hot headed, occasionally dangerous and she was rarely content to be in one place for too long. It's not to say she was interested in settling down with Alex right now; they were young, filthy rich and rather famous after all. Piper still wanted to travel anywhere and everywhere with the brunette; but if there was one person who could tame her wanderlust, it was certainly Alex. Piper would much rather be strolling happily into a little run down gas station to buy chocolate bars with her girlfriend rather than partying her life away in a sea of hazy bodies in Ibiza. That said, she would much rather be on a beach in the Caribbean than the quickly cooling evening temperatures of New York. She'll live, though.

"What a surprise." Piper laughed quietly as she saw the usually badass Alex Vause with a determined pout and furrowed eyebrows glaring at the shelves of chocolate. Dark jeans, grey vans, white sweater, yet she wore the expression of an annoyed three year old; Alex Vause sure was passionate when it came to chocolate. "What is it this time?" Piper enquired as she wound an arm around the brunette's waist.

"They don't..." Alex trailed off as she narrowed her eyes, deep in thought whist instinctively draping an arm over the blonde's shoulders. Piper waited patiently for her to figure out what exactly she wanted, wondering how the public must perceive her these days. Here she was in a teal hoody, black skinny jeans and a slightly worn out pair of white converse, looking at fucking chocolate bars with her girlfriend. It was quite the change from the ruthless blonde they'd come across six years ago. Piper happened to think they'd like her a bit more now that she acted like an actual human being with feelings (not that she gave a damn). They'd always liked her, always been drawn in by her mysterious, other-worldly air. Now, though, the public _loved _her. Who could possibly stop themselves from being infatuated with a well-read, charming blonde who happened to look at her girlfriend as if she was the second coming of Christ? People are suckers for a good love story, and they sure as hell don't get much better than Piper Chapman and Alex Vause.

"Thank you, Jesus!" Alex's excited whisper drew Piper from her thoughts as the brunette grabbed a bar triumphantly and grinned at her girlfriend, green eyes flashing with victory. Piper could ask what the fuck that was all about, but she rarely gets a straight answer when it comes to Alex and food.

"Remind me why I love you again?" Piper teased, rubbing her hands affectionately down the brunette's sides.

"Careful what you wish for, Pipes." She replied lightly with a suggestive eyebrow raise and a crooked smirk. Piper couldn't help the small laugh that escaped at the innuendo. Alex chuckled softly too, brushing her lips against Piper's affectionately in the middle of the isle, leaving her arm around the blonde's shoulder. She pulled back quickly, and that dreamy, love struck grin lit up Piper's face as so often happened when they kissed like that. The blonde continued to beam at her adorable little shit of a girlfriend for a moment longer, unaware of their audience.

The young cashier looked agitatedly between her phone and the couple standing looking at each other adoringly in the middle of the tiny shop in which she worked. Because there was no fucking way she just took a Snapchat of Piper Chapman and Alex Vause kissing right there in the damn sweetie isle. No fucking way; they'd broken up months ago, right? Unless you'd been living under a rock for quite some time, everyone in America and halfway across the globe knew that America's favourite power couple had come to an unexplainable, abrupt end. But that was _definitely_ the imposing, intimidating couple standing in the shop. It's not as if there were many women who looked like those pair; all long legs and stunning hair and perfect skin. The cashier continued to watch the conversing couple from the corner of her eye as she typed briskly on her phone, setting the photo as her Snapchat story with a shit tonne of question marks and uploading it to Twitter with a few more question marks and a caption of 'Is this real life?'. Creepy? Hell yes. But it's not every day the subjects of the most talked about breakup of the year so far walk into your little rickety gas station now, is it? Blushing profusely, the young girl quickly pocketed her phone as the two women walked towards her hand in hand, giggling and shoving each other lightly with their shoulders. The blonde's constant exuberance of superiority was evident despite her teasing nature, in the gait of her walk and set of her slender shoulders. The raven haired girl looked rather more approachable, but her irises flared challengingly behind her thick glasses and she certainly did not look like the type to be bossed around.

"Dumbass." Piper struggled to contain her laughter as they reached the counter. "Oh, fuck." She stopped abruptly. "I forgot my purse. Can you go get it for me?" Piper turned to the tall brunette who was still laughing.

"What the fuck?" Alex shook her head amusedly. "Get it yourself, sunshine. I don't work for you." She reminded the blonde lightly, who simply pouted and narrowed her eyes.

"You just want to stare at my ass in these jeans." She quipped before turning on her heel and striding back outside to the Ferrari. Alex, to her credit, only blushed a little red as she obviously eyed the blonde's retreating figure. They did fit her well, she had to admit. She turned awkwardly to the wide eyed cashier.

"Hey, sorry, she forgot her purse." Alex explained with a nod to her girlfriend. The girl nodded vehemently, rather star struck. "Um... are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost, girl." Alex said pointedly. The girl laughed nervously before answering.

"No, it's just...you know. I know who you- you both- are. This is so weird." She whispered exasperatedly as the brunette regarded her warily.

"Wait, who are you? Do we know you? Are you the kid from Java who had to clean-" Alex stopped that thought abruptly before she said too much.

"No!" The cashier cried. "_Every_one knows you."

"Oh, yeah." Alex had forgotten about the whole celebrity status thing. Well, that was perhaps an exaggeration, but most people would at least recognise the couple when they were together. The sharp ring of the bell above the door saved Alex from anymore awkward conversation as Piper returned, Prada purse in hand.

"Pump two. And these." Piper ordered distractedly, setting the chocolate on the counter and thumbing through her cash. The cashier blinked rapidly at her rude nature before turning to the gas pump readings and sorting through the bill.

"Piper." Alex whispered harshly.

"What?" The blonde's head snapped up as she cocked an eyebrow at Alex.

"That kid knows us."

"So?" Piper got recognised everywhere; it wasn't exactly a life altering revelation that an eighteen (or so) year old girl knew her. Hell, most of the female population at that age either wanted to _be_ her, or wanted to _be on_ her.

"What if she tells people you're rude?" Alex enquired.

"Good. That means people are paying attention to me." Piper said plainly with a quick smirk. The brunette rolled her eyes at the smaller girl's antics but decided not to press further. Piper Chapman didn't have time for obsessive little kids in gas stations, and there was little Alex could do to change it. The young girl returned nervously and asked Piper for thirty six dollars. The blonde handed the cash over without even looking at the young girl, instead picking at her thumbnail distractedly.

"Hey, girl." Alex piped up suddenly to the cashier.

"Yeah?" She said quickly, afraid that she'd upset the two women in front of her. Piper curled her lip and looked up from her preoccupation with an expression that could only be described as disgust directed towards her girlfriend.

"You want a photo, or something?" The brunette asked cheerfully. Piper leaned back slightly, eyes widening at Alex. The cashier damn near followed her.

"Um-um... yeah, yes, sure?" The girl spluttered, fumbling with the pocket of her hoody for her phone as a warm heat stung her cheeks. Piper was confused at the odd show of kindness to the random girl, but accepted the proposal, resting her hand on the small of Alex's back as the girl poked her head into the back room and asked her manager to take a photo. He, thankfully, was oblivious as to who the two women were, but the shop was empty anyway, so he accepted with a grunt and a nod, taking the phone from his worker. There was no way in hell she was squeezing between the couple who seemed to be touching each other constantly, so she stood beside Alex who rested a tame hand on the girl's shoulder. The cashier made awkward contact with Piper's hand on Alex's back, so she sort of let her hand awkwardly hang in mid air, hidden from view of the camera. To say the blonde seemed protective over her girlfriend was an understatement. It was excessively possessive, but Alex was _hers_, and Piper had no qualms about showing it off. She had that calculated, fake smile plastered on and Alex frowned slightly at her girlfriend's rudeness before accepting and attempting a more genuine pose for the photo. Piper stood closest to the door, one arm around Alex's frame and the other hand linked sweetly with the brunette's on her hip. Alex was in the middle, tall and leaning slightly into Piper while her free hand rested lamely on the cashier's shoulder. The girl was short; about five foot five, with fair hair, hazel eyes and a timid, crooked smile. She looked rather happy, obviously, but unnerved by the domineering presence of the couple beside her, namely Piper. It's not the fact that she was rude; the girl had dealt with her fair share of poorly mannered customers in her year of working in the store. It was just the incredible feeling of intimidation and almost palpable air of entitlement that the blonde gave off that unsettled the cashier. It was disappointing; she'd been quite drawn in (like most of the nation) by Piper's allure and subtlety in public appearances or interviews. But there was nothing subtle about the interlinking of her fingers with Alex's on her hip. It was over the top for the cashier, beyond her comprehension, but the feeling of holding Alex's hand was important to Piper.

It wasn't about possessiveness. It was a way of maintaining a socially acceptable contact, a quiet, wordless reminder that screamed _"I got you back; you sure as hell aren't leaving again."_

"Thanks." The fair-haired girl took the phone back and pocketed it once more.

"Can I see that?" Piper chirped up uncharacteristically. The cashier stood dumbfounded for a moment before taking the phone out again and hastily handing it to the blonde. She took the device with a tight-lipped smile and studying the photo, Alex peering over her shoulder.

"It's nice." Alex commented.

"Yeah. Maybe you can upload this one instead of that creepy stalking shit you pulled earlier, huh, _kid?" _Piper snarled, slamming the phone hard onto the counter and smiling sarcastically at the speechless girl. Alex's eyes widened at Piper unusually losing her cool; the pair had fan photos taken of them fairly often, and the blonde rarely got mad.

"Piper?" Alex looked confusedly at her ill-tempered girlfriend who just scoffed and turned on her heel to leave. The cashier failed to formulate any semblance of a reply to Piper as Alex looked helplessly back to her whilst the blonde dragged her angrily from the store.

"What was that all about?" Alex enquired incredulously as Piper raged from the driver's seat of her car, shoulders heaving and nostrils flaring.

"Fucking press." Was all she offered, knuckles whitening with her grip on the steering wheel as she tore towards New York.

"What?" Alex shook her head in question and gestured cluelessly with her hands.

"That _whore_ took a photo of us and posted it online and now everyone is going batshit. Look." Piper nodded to her phone that sat between the pair. Alex unlocked it, quietly smiling to herself as she realised the blonde's password was still the date of their anniversary. _Old habits die hard, right?_

"Whore?" The younger girl chuckled at her girlfriend's colourful vocabulary.

"Whore." Piper insisted. "Go onto Safari."

"How'd you find out so quick?" The brunette wondered.

"Robert text me and I saw it when I was getting my purse. Now do you forgive me for being rude?" Alex declined to answer as she scrolled through short articles posted in the time the pair were in the shop and looked through links to Tweets.

"Oh my God." Alex failed miserably to withhold the laugh that escaped her. Teenage girls losing their shit over a hastily taken photo of her and her girlfriend kissing in a store was obviously a source of great amusement to the brunette. "Pipes, what are you so mad about? Listen to some of these." Alex continued to snicker as she read through streams of tweets. "_I only see two things in this photo I want to take home with me and none of them belong to the store." _She recited. "_Vauseman are back together put me in the grave because my life is complete." _Piper began to laugh despite her annoyance as her girlfriend continued to read. "_I was straight until Alex Vause and Piper Chapman happened." _The couple chuckled at a few more messages before Piper grew serious again.

"No, Al, it's not that. We can't go home now because the paps will be camped out on our fucking lawn."

"Come on, babe. We aren't _that_ famous." Alex countered.

"I know." Piper rolled her eyes. "But our relationship is." Alex considered the reasoning for a moment before scrunching her nose and nodding in agreement.

"What do you wanna do?"

"Whatever." Piper tried to shrug off her annoyance, but the brunette was having none of it. Soft rain fell against the window shield as the winding road underneath the car grew wet and dark.

"Drive somewhere."

"I am?" Piper offered with a cocked eyebrow.

"Drive somewhere and stop." The younger girl tried again with a low voice, noting the lush green trees surrounding them and the deserted stretch of road ahead of them.

"Why?"

"I'm sure we can find some way to pass the time." Alex insinuated with a sly grin and suggestive eyebrow raise. She swore you could have heard the Ferrari's engine rev impossibly louder all the way back in New Jersey.

* * *

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Piper yelled at her girlfriend. Sweat dripped from her blonde strands after her run, red t shirt sticking to her; she'd grown slightly more unfit during her separation from Alex.

"You're going to the shower anyway."

"I look like shit, Alex." Piper lies through her teeth as the brunette scoffs and stands from her position behind the easel to walk over to her. Alex brushes a few stray hairs back from Piper's face before untying her ponytail, allowing her wavy locks to cascade over her shoulders. Of course she doesn't look like shit.

"You look beautiful." Alex tells her flushed faced, sweating, heavily breathing girlfriend in a soft voice. It's the truth. Piper smiles bashfully up at the taller girl currently stroking her warm cheek with her thumb.

"You really want to paint a fucking picture of me?" Piper laughs in stupendous disbelief.

"Sure I do." Alex insists. "We've been together for like, nearly two years, and I still haven't had the chance." Piper watches the pleading come into Alex's eyes along with the passion she has for doing what she loves. The blonde has missed that look, she'd missed everything about Alex. It was so good to be home.

"Okay. In my running clothes, though?" Piper is puzzled, has been puzzled ever since she walked happily back into the open area of their apartment only to see Alex sitting cross legged behind her easel, with the sofa pushed back and her art stuff sitting on the fireplace. After the blonde had finished having an aneurism over the fact paint could get onto her- _their-_ photo frames, Alex had made her odd request to...well, _draw Piper. _

"Oh no, babe," Alex whispered huskily, smirking at the blonde. "Strip." Piper's eyes widened in surprise.

"I swear to God, if that panting ever leaves this damn house I will ruin you." The blonde threatens with zero conviction as she kicks her trainers off and hops from foot to foot trying to remove her socks.

"I look forward to it." Alex winks before going back over to her easel. Turning, she doesn't even attempt to ignore the way Piper drags the tight material down over her tanned, long legs, bending over to peel them off before flicking the shorts away with her toe. She cocks her right eyebrow as Alex mindlessly draws the end of a pencil between her lips, roaming her eyes over the sight of her girlfriend. Piper removes the offending item off her torso, stomach muscles rippling as she pulls the t shirt off her body and discards it beside the shorts. Her blonde hair is slightly more dishevelled but no longer damp, cascading over her collarbones and chest messily. Their gaze never falters from each other as Piper's steady hands reached to unclasp her bra (because, God bless her, the girl really needn't bother wearing a sports bra). Her blue irises danced with teasing mischievousness, Alex's breath hitching in her throat despite the fact she'd been involved in this scenario a countless number of times; Piper Chapman naked in front of her is not something she would _ever_ quite get used to. Similar to her sultry removal of the running shorts, the older girl slowly removed the rest of her underwear before standing straight again, one foot crossed in front of the other and arms spread wide either side of her, palms ever so slightly upturned and a playful grin on her face. A palpable tension filled the room as Alex regarded her naked girlfriend with hooded eyes and the pencil still between her teeth.

"Draw me like one of your French girls." Piper narrowed her eyes seductively and tried to used a husky voice, but the cliché simply made the couple erupt into raucous laughter as the tension dissolved somewhat.

"Iconic." Alex whispered as Piper doubled over with laughter, tears forming at the corners of their eyes. God forbid anyone should walk in on the two women, one naked and the other one in an oversized grey t shirt, crying with laughter with an easel between them and running clothes strewn beside them. "Go lie down, look sexy, do what you do best." Alex dismisses her with a wave and another bout of laughter before Piper splayed her body provocatively over the leather sofa, propping herself up on her elbow whilst her other arm draped over the side of her body, hand splayed over the outside and top of her left thigh. Her right leg was straight underneath her and her left was bent slightly in front of the other, crossing at the ankles. Her blonde hair was pushed back messily, feathered at the fringe and flowing in soft waves almost down to her breasts. Over the top? Maybe. The most alluring, seductive thing Alex has ever seen? Oh, hell to the fucking yes.

* * *

Piper never moved a muscle despite the burning sensation beginning to form in the arm supporting her weight. Her eyes followed Alex of their own accord as the brunette worked meticulously, pencil dancing with a practiced ease across the page. The quiet scratch of lead against paper was the only sound in the room, Piper accepting that Alex needed to concentrate on her work. Piper had thought it would be impossible to find Alex more attractive than she had beforehand, but watching the slight crease between her brows form and the inherently adorable way she sunk her white teeth into full red lips during periods of intense concentration proved her theory wrong. Her grey t shirt exposed those legs that seemed to go on for fucking miles and accentuated the ample swell of her breasts beneath the flimsy material. Ruffled raven locks hung loosely curled and she often pushed them away from her face as a reflex reaction. It was a shame, really; Alex would only see herself in photos or in her reflection, she'd never get to experience moments like this when she was truly inexplicably beautiful, or how earth-shatteringly radiant she was when her true, bright smile lit up her face. Piper was experiencing it though, Alex was raw when she was at work, and it was without question when she was at her most beautiful. It's when Alex is prettiest, because it's when she's most honest; there are no barriers or worries or confusion when she's drawing, and to Piper at least, that's certainly prettiest thing she's ever seen. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty, you fall in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are.

"You're staring." Alex's low voice drew Piper from her doting thoughts. The blonde smiled sweetly at her girlfriend before replying.

"Do you have any idea how important you are to me?" Piper asks suddenly, fiddling with a small fray off one of the sofa's pillows and averting her gaze from Alex. She didn't really mean to be so emotional at about eleven o'clock in the morning, but the thought sort of struck her on a whim. Alex stilled her pencil and poked her head around the easel.

"Um...I think so." Alex nodded and looked warily at the blonde.

"Just checking." Piper smiled timidly at the younger girl and encouraged her to continue. Alex continues to draw for a moment before she speaks.

"Piper, you warned me not to fall in love with you, because you weren't worth my time. None of it matters, though, like..." Alex tried to come up with a way of articulating her thoughts. "But there are things that can't be controlled." She shrugged and took a drink of water before continuing to draw.

"Like what?" Questioned a rather confused Piper from the sofa.

"Gravity, accidents, death... and me, falling for you." Alex said quietly, watching as a wide grin spread onto Piper's face. "I spent a long time trying to fix you, Pipes, but I ended up nearly breaking myself. It's not your fault, but I'm just glad I realised that before it was all too late. You're my person, you know?

"Yeah. I know." Piper bit her lip as a blush coloured her cheeks. It was unfathomable to her, after all this time, that Alex had actually fallen in love with her. Alex's green eyes bored into Piper's blue ones, an immeasurable amount of love crackling between the pair. Alex blinked first, smiling crookedly and returning to the almost finished drawing. Piper studied her again for a long moment. "You're the type of girl I'd make a sandwich for." She admitted with a breathy chuckle. Alex's pale hand moved to the bottom of the page, wrist flicking with the inscription of a signature before she slid the pencil behind her ear and stood back, pursing her lips.

"Ooh, talk dirty to me, babe." Alex crooned, winking sarcastically at the blonde before laughing herself. "Come look." Piper lifted herself from the sofa stiffly, rubbing at the harsh red mark on her arm generated by the friction of skin against leather. Alex soothed the raw skin tenderly with fingers cooled by the glass of iced water she'd held a moment previously.

"Sorry, babe, I should've got you a blanket." She apologised sheepishly. Piper shook her head and turned to the easel.

"Holy shit." Piper gasps at what Alex has managed to come up with in what...forty minutes? Confident, defined lines shape a frighteningly realistic representation of Piper's form, down to the slight V line coming from her hips and the dimples on her cheek. Right down to even the sparkling mischief in Piper's eyes, Alex has managed to draw what is undoubtedly the coolest thing Piper has ever seen. "This is fantastic." It's not as though Piper has never seen Alex's work before; she knows better than anyone how to spot talent. It's just so much easier to appreciate when she watches the drawing being created before her very eyes, seeing firsthand the amount of control artists must exhibit over their medium.

"I'm glad you like it." Alex says bashfully, kissing Piper chastely on the neck while stilling her cold fingers on the blonde's arm.

"I love it." Piper promises, encircling Alex in a bear hug and smiling against the brunette's shoulder. Alex returns the hug in kind, rubbing Piper's back sweetly until the growl of the smaller girl's stomach causes them pull back and a warm heat to colour Piper's cheeks. "Need food." She says obviously, padding over to the kitchen area. Alex watches her naked form lustfully for a moment before her art tools on the mantelpiece catch her eye. Smirking devilishly and aware of Piper's back turned form, the brunette rifles through her collection to her weapon of choice. Standing proudly, she calls over to the blonde in the kitchen.

"Yeah, you need a shower too."

"You trying to say I smell bad?" Piper enquires teasingly, remembering she hasn't had a chance to wash after her run. Alex chuckles low in her throat. _Poor girl isn't going to know what hit her._

"Not quite." Alex replies, approaching the breakfast bar as Piper looked up and almost fainted at what she saw.

"NO!" She yelled, ducking before a splattering of paint collided with the tiled wall behind her head. "You're a fucking _bitch!" _Piper swore angrily, bracing her arms over her head as Alex drew more paint onto a brush. The brunette roared with triumphant laughter as bright red paint met Piper's naked bicep. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!" Piper continued cursing and screaming as she ran helplessly away into the more open area of their home. She silently prayed that the paint currently raining down on her was washable and would not ruin her priceless artworks on the walls or stain her good leather furniture. She made a desperate grab for her own tin of paint as Alex chased her, discarding the brush and instead choosing to chuck as much red paint towards Piper as she could manage. By now, Piper's hair was matted with the stuff and it covered her bare ass, back and the top of one of her thighs. The blonde grappled with the awkward tin lid as she sprinted out of the room and tore down one of the apartment's many corridors, squealing as Alex matched her stride for stride behind her. Piper got in a few hits of her own, tossing back royal blue bucketfuls of the paint that made contact with Alex's torso and neck.

"You're a fucker." Alex concluded breathlessly, her empty paint tin discarded outside the doors as the couple burst into the pool room. Piper laughed giddily as she bombed towards the heated water, giving one last toss of the paint back in Alex's direction before throwing the tin off to the side and diving seamlessly into the water without even breaking stride. Alex paused to strip off her t shirt before cannon balling in after her girlfriend, the splashing water around the couple turning into a delightful mix of red and blue as wet paint came unstuck from their bodies. The naked pair swam slowly to the shallower end before standing when the water reached to just below their collarbones, breathing heavily. It was difficult to get their breath back considering the amount of goddamn laughing they were doing. Piper literally didn't think she'd ever be able to stop laughing, to be frank.

"You crazy bitch. If that doesn't come off I swear you're paying for it." The blonde eventually light-heartedly scolded Alex.

"Mmm, it was so worth it though." She hummed, stepping into Piper's personal space and threading her fingers through her wet blonde locks.

"I guess." Piper smirked against Alex's lips before the two kissed slowly in the heated water of the pool, Piper's hands splayed across Alex's hips underwater. Their eyelids fluttered closed in unison, a haze the pair were well acquainted to descending over them. One of Alex's hands moved onto Piper's damp cheek, cupping it and pulling them closer together whilst she ran her tongue over the blonde's lower lip, encouraging her to take the kiss further. Piper melted into Alex's touch, obeying and reacting passionately to every familiar stroke of Alex's sure tongue against hers. It's not rushed, nor even particularly sexual, it's just a calm waltz the two will never get tired of practicing, blissfully content in each other's warm embrace. Warm water lapped against them, tremors rippling from where the peace of the water had been disturbed by its two entrees. They ignored it, ignored the smell of chlorine, ignored the soft hum of the water heating, and ignored the obviously damaging paint surrounding them. No, as per usual, all that matters to Piper Chapman and Alex Vause is the girl in their arms, the soft pair of lips meeting their own. That over-romanticised cliché of absence making the heart grow fonder is simply lost on the pair in the water. Yes, they were better people now, their relationship was unquestionably steadfast, but perhaps heroin and a mother's death had been a little too much absence for either woman to take.

No, what really makes the heart grow fonder is sprinting after each other whilst throwing tins of paint, not a care in the world but the girl by your side. That is true fondness for a person.

* * *

A/N: Is it bad that I can totally imagine the whole paint scenario in my head?


	24. Finale

A/N: Well, here you have it. In case you don't fancy reading the A/N at the bottom, thanks for everything. It means the world. If you're interested in a playlist for this story, check out the Spotify link in my profile.

* * *

The imperceptible summer sun has set long ago over the bright lights of Amsterdam. A full, luminous moon hangs low over the city, softly illuminating the shimmering waters of deserted canals and casting a soft glow over the balcony two young women lie side by side on. The brunette has a dreamy smile on her face, dilated pupils and green eyes quietly surveying the map of twinkling stars above her head. The blonde lies curled against the taller girl's side, right leg hitched over her girlfriend's waist and face burrowed into her neck, eyelids heavy but a disbelieving sort of feel to her expression, tongue poking out from between her lips occasionally as she regards the brunette with wondrous eyes. Apart from being hopelessly, ardently in love, Piper Chapman and Alex Vause are also absolutely fucking _stoned._ Not on heroin, of course, but Piper had managed to get her hands on some weed from a guest of hers at the party she'd just thrown. Naturally, she'd simply driven aimlessly around the streets of the Dutch capital in the middle of the day in a sleek, white Ferrari 458 with the top down and handed out invites with the address of her rented Penthouse on it, blinding sunlight glinting off the frame of her Ray-Bans as she laughed and drove with acquiescent abandon through the narrow streets. Alex was beside her, of course, already half drunk at this time and giggling along with her as her raven locks caught in the wind, flowing freely over her shoulders.

But anyway, it's summer, and she's as in love with the free spirit that is Piper Chapman as she's ever been.

So the two had thrown a true sprawling mass of a party that even Jay Gatsby himself would be envious of, and yet they knew not a single face in the apartment. It didn't matter, for the music was loud and the alcohol was strong, and little else held any semblance of importance as the night drew to a close, Dutch strangers drunkenly thanking their equally intoxicated hosts before bowing out of the building and back into the sweltering heat of the bustling city. Now, the two women found themselves with a little too much alcohol coursing through their veins and one too many blunts flicked over the balcony and down onto the dark pavement below them. So, yes, they were drunk. Yes, they were high. But, most importantly, they were together. They're in love. Music continues to play from the speaker system inside the room behind the French doors, muffled lyrics filtering through to the pair.

"_Money is the anthem of success._ _So before we go out what's your address?"_

Alex cradles Piper in her arms, right arm wrapped intimately around the blonde's waist as she breathes heavily onto the heated skin of the taller girl's neck. Between the second and third fingers of Alex's free hand rests a lit splint, freshly rolled and glowing a fascinating red at the tip. She licks her lips absentmindedly, infatuated with the taste of Piper that seems to permanently reside on them. The clear sky above her seems to dance with a thousand unattainable colours, despite the fact it's pitch dark save for the incandescent body of rock to the right of their position. The brunette studies the infinite space for an immeasurable amount of time, skimming her fingers along Piper's naked back as the blonde runs drums her own fingers on Alex's stomach, giggling occasionally at absolutely nothing. Eventually, Alex lifts the joint to between her full red lips, holding it there for a moment and inhaling deeply, eyelids closing involuntarily, naked without the frame of her glasses.

"_I'm your National Anthem, God, you're so handsome. Take me to the Hamptons, Bugatti Veyron." _

The smoke flows thickly from Alex's lips, spiralling up into the atmosphere for a moment, enveloping the pair in an incredible haze. Her tongue runs over her teeth before she bites her own lip, enjoying how the smoke clears eventually to reveal a hundred more colours in front of her eyes. It's a good hit, heightening the brunette's feeling of weightlessness. Piper lifts her head to study Alex's faraway expression, tracing her fingers dazzlingly over the flushed cheekbones of her girlfriend. The blonde brings her fingers to Alex's lips, softly touching the moist skin there as Alex gazes at her enchantingly but keeps her mouth still. Piper's lips twitch into the makings of a grin as she pulls Alex's bottom lip down with her thumb before releasing it and resting her hand on the brunette's cheek. The pair stay like this, locked in the drug-induced fumes for a long moment before Alex again brings the blunt to her mouth and takes a slow drag. Piper watches her all the while, drinking in the way the brunette's lips mould around the joint and her cheeks sink in as the smoke flows between her lips. Alex doesn't exhale as quickly this time, though, she takes the hand with the splint in it and puts it on Piper's shoulder, pushing the blonde off her lap and onto the cool tiles of the balcony once more.

"_Tell me I'm your National Anthem. Ooh, yeah, baby, bow down, making me so wild now." _

Alex captures Piper's lips swiftly, her hand on Piper's jaw as the older girl's lips part and the familiar taste of smoke and Alex coat the lining of her mouth. Alex exhales the smoke slowly, Piper drinking it in greedily and failing to suppress a moan at the feeling of the drug filtering into her lungs and Alex's warm body pressed against her. Piper lets out a shaky breath as the taller girl's inviting lips hover agonisingly close to her own, so much so that she can practically feel the heat radiating from them. It's a rather similar scene to when Alex had unceremoniously fallen on top of Piper in her apartment that first night, all awkward apologies and Piper having to literally shove the brunette off her to stop from kissing her. This time, however, there's nothing awkward nor apologetic. There's no stopping them as their lips meet messily once more, every movement evoking a heightened reaction in each woman due to the weed and alcohol consumption. Alex's thigh moves between Piper's legs as the kiss breaks and the blonde grapples helplessly for the joint.

"More." Piper breathes as Alex just chuckles quietly and places the joint in Piper's waiting fingers. She studies her girlfriend wondrously as the blonde rolls the splint around with practiced ease before drawing it between her lips, winking seductively at Alex as she leaves it between her teeth and uses both hands to roll the pair over so she's on top of the younger girl. Piper's fucking unfairly attractive, then; tousled blonde hair falls messily over her naked collar bones, framing clouded cerulean eyes with sultry dilated pupils. A joint rests between her full red lips, sitting comfortably as Piper's long index and third fingers begin removing it from the warm confines of her mouth. Piper sinks white teeth into her bottom lip to trap the smoke, running a hand through her own blonde locks before leaning over Alex and shot gunning the thick smoke between her waiting lips.

"_Sugar, sugar, how now, take your body down town. Red, white, blue is in the sky, summer's in the air and baby, heaven's in your eyes."_

Piper's lean body presses flush against her girlfriend's as she observes how Alex closes her eyes and drinks in the smoke like a pro. The joint is diminishing now, so Piper grinds it against the tiles and distinguishes the glowing tip before discarding it somewhere that she won't have to worry about it anymore. They're absolutely stoned, now, laughing at just the mere being of each other. Alex's hands run through Piper's hair of their own accord as the pair's faces hover inches from each other, sexual tension crackling through the small space between their hesitating mouths. They don't kiss, though; silently enjoying how the crescendo of lust builds to palpable levels as they study the planes of each other's faces.

"You are the love of my life." Piper whispers after a few minutes. Considering the circumstances, that's a pretty complex sentence to deliver without slurring. Alex beams at her girlfriend, mind completely blank as to what to reply to that. She blames the drugs. Piper likes to think it's just her way with words that has Alex speechless. Eventually, the brunette replies.

"You're what I pay attention to. _Who _I pay attention to." Her fingers drag slowly up Piper's neck and back into her hair, thumbing the side of Piper's face as a shift in the air above them causes a shiver to flow through both women. They laugh ridiculously loudly for a moment, and a light comes on in the apartment across from them. Shadows dance enticingly behind the veiled window, the form of a woman taking shape in what looks to be a kitchen. Naturally, Alex and Piper fail to notice any of their surroundings. "Everything else is just..." Alex tries to finish after their laughter quiets, but the words fail to form on her lips. Piper, instead, finishes for her.

"Background." The blonde smiles genuinely as Alex nods her approval.

"_It's a love story for the new age, for the six page. We're on a quick sick rampage; Wining and dining, drinking and driving, excessive buying, Overdose and dyin', on our drugs and our love..."_

"Background." She agrees in a hushed voice, and at that their lips meet softly, beginning a searing intimacy under the moonlight that the two have no intention of ever bringing to a close.

* * *

Of course the whole retirement thing didn't last for Piper. _Of course_ a twenty-seven year old with an inexplicable amount of drive and determination could not just simply sit around on her ass all day. After the first four months through a bitterly cold winter, she decides it would be quite fun to take up the piano again; you can imagine Alex's surprise when she returned from a girl's day with Nicky to see her girlfriend sitting behind a glossy black grand piano that definitely had not been there when she left. On top of the whole sexy as hell, great in bed, multi lingual, absolutely adorable thing going on, Piper Chapman was also pretty damn talented at striking up a tune.

"What..." Alex's voice never gets above a whisper as the melody drowns out her question, Piper's back to the brunette as her nimble fingers dance perpetually over the ivory keys, striking out a complicated melody that Alex struggles to pick up. The brunette leans against the door frame, one ankle crossed over the other and arms folded in her trusty leather jacket that she'd gotten back after explaining its appearance in Piper's wardrobe. An involuntary grin tugs at the corners of her mouth as she leans her head against the doorframe and listens to the quickening beat coming from the imposing object in the left of centre of their apartment. Piper's sun-kissed legs are visible due to only a flimsy grey t shirt covering her frame, and her blonde hair is tied up in a messy ponytail. She's clearly been up to some manual labour whilst Alex spent the morning downtown, probably helping the delivery men with the whole grand-piano-in-apartment thing. Finally, after about thirty seconds, the chorus of the melody reverberates through the home and it comes to Alex.

"_If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy? If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?" _

The brunette beams widely at the back turned, unaware form of her girlfriend, thinking back to their first evening in...Venice, maybe? When a very drunk Piper had thought it would be incredibly funny to belt the lyrical version of Clarity at the top of her lungs during karaoke night at a quaint little bar in the northern corner of the city. She was right; it _was_ incredibly funny, Alex had sat in a chair below the stage and cried with laughter until her sides felt like they were about to split. It's not that Piper couldn't sing, she certainly could, but she was just so fucking _loud. _Alex continued to smile at the memory whilst the oblivious blonde's fingers worked without fault over the keys. Piper had taken piano lessons when she was younger, of course, but she hadn't played for damn near eight years. It's like riding a bike or falling hopelessly in love, though; you never forget. Alex leans against the doorframe for a moment longer before kicking off it and walking slowly over to Piper, the sound of her footfalls masked by the music coming from the piano. The blonde's fourth finger slipped momentarily as eventually she became aware of Alex standing exhilaratingly close behind her, observing her long fingers dancing meticulously over the white keys with enthralled green irises. Eventually, Alex rests her chin on Piper's shoulder and sways lightly as the blonde attempts to keep up the tune with great difficulty, mainly due to the hot breath of her girlfriend against her neck. A second rousing of the chorus is played by Piper to a soaring crescendo before she finishes with a long, complex cord and holds it for a moment, before stilling her fingers and settling back into Alex's body.

"Is there anything you can't do?" The brunette enquires, now resting her chin on top of Piper's head as she slips beside her girlfriend on the seat and Piper leans into her embrace.

"You tell me." Piper replies tiredly, hugging Alex whilst the taller girl strokes her hair softly.

"You remember Venice?

"Unfortunately." Piper groans in embarrassment at the memory.

"You can't do drunken karaoke." Alex affirms.

"I think you'll find that's exactly how drunken karaoke was supposed to sound." The blonde counters, squirming impossibly tighter into her girlfriend's comforting embrace.

"You're freezing, babe."

"And tired."

"Why?"

"I had to help the fucking idiotic delivery guys get this thing into the apartment for like four hours. Not fun." Piper mumbles into Alex's neck. The brunette sighs and takes her jacket off, enveloping Piper in it before hugging her tightly again and resuming her comforting ministrations on her blonde locks.

"Why didn't you go put something warmer on?"

"Too tired."

"What's wrong, Pipes?" Alex says seriously as the blonde only burrows her face further into Alex's shoulder.

"Cramps." Is all she says, before Alex sighs and nods understandingly.

"Right. You want Chinese food and movies, don't you?"

"Do you even have to ask?" A contended smile adorns Piper's face as Alex carries her bridal style the short walk to their bedroom and lays her down with a kiss to her forehead.

"Two seconds." The brunette promises, throwing Piper a pair of sweats before slipping back outside to get the number for the Chinese. Alex shakes her head in disbelief once more at the frankly ridiculous nature of the overbearing piano while the line connects; most people would go for a walk whilst bored, but Piper (hormonal and in pain) decided to buy a fucking grand piano. What a girl.

The two women may not realise the significance of it now, but the fact that Alex knows when it's the right time to order Chinese food is perhaps one of her most underrated qualities as a girlfriend. She's hot, inexplicably talented in the bedroom, charming, sweet and funny, but her ability to just _understand_ Piper is something the blonde has not and will never find in anyone but the woman she's lucky enough to call her girlfriend.

"God, I fucking love you." Piper exclaims from her foetus position on the bed. Alex grins at the compliment, balancing two steaming hot plates of shredded sweet honey and chilli chicken with egg fried rice in her hands and a packet of prawn crackers between her teeth.

"You'd better." Alex muses when she crawls underneath the covers, clad in her own grey sweats and navy hoody and brushing her lips against Piper's sweetly. The blonde blinks tiredly before beaming up at the taller girl lovingly and looking at her the sort of way Alex had only seen in movies; big blue eyes wide with adoration and a reverent smile on her lips. "I love you too." Alex assures the other girl, who just bites her lip slightly in delight and presses her face into the pillow as if her happiness is too much, grin still peaking out and a solitary dimple visible. It's so fucking _adorable_ that Alex sort of just wants to squeeze Piper's face. Eventually, the older girl relents from her own face-smushing and turns to the plate of food in Alex's hand. The paring eat slowly, talking about memories and current affairs and just about anything. Incidentally, Piper did buy the damn piano because of her "menses madness", or something along those lines.

"You're batshit, girl." Alex tells her as she sets their plates down before sidling closer and opening the prawn crackers, flicking the TV onto a random movie channel and wrapping her arm around Piper's shoulders.

"I'm just hormonal." She corrects, snuggling into the brunette's side and resting her cheek against Alex's chest, sighing contentedly. "This is fucking _perfect._" Piper reasons, and Alex can't help but agree.

"We must be getting old."

"Excuse me? You're barely twenty-six. We're just getting started, bitch." Piper says rather incredulously, and Alex just does what she's supposed to and laughs quietly, rubbing a soothing hand over Piper's sore stomach as the opening credits roll. It's a trashy romance, of course, but it's more upsetting than they'd expected. In the end, the boy leaves his girl because of the introduction conscription in the States, and he dies on duty. Alex tears up a little at the damn thing, but Piper is fucking _sobbing_ by the end. Fucking hormones.

"Promise me one thing." Piper's voice quivers with tears. Alex's eyes widen at the blonde's overdramatic reaction and is cut off before she can reply. "That you'll stay- and you won't leave. You can't leave again." The smaller girl sobs into Alex's shoulder, and what can the brunette do but soothe her with calming touches to her cheek, wiping the sleeve of her hoody underneath Piper's eyes. It's the movie, it's the hormones, but the words still send a flash of guilt tearing through Alex. She holds Piper's face between both her hands and draws their eyes level, thumbs catching the few tears that leak from sad, blue eyes.

"Piper, I will never fucking leave you _ever again._ I promise. Jesus...I-" Her voice falters before she gathers herself again, gripping Piper's face tighter and staring at her, trying interminably hard to get her point across, the point she wishes she didn't have to make.

"I couldn't live with myself. You are my life now." Alex presses her lips against Piper's in a desperate plea for acceptance before the blonde has a chance to reply, and the subject of leaving is silently agreed upon to never be spoken of again.

* * *

"An art gallery?!" Alex splutters, choking on the champagne in her throat and drawing disgruntled looks from the various other passengers dotted around first class. Piper pats her girlfriend's back as she continues to cough loudly. Eventually, she nods and naturally takes another gulp of the free champagne to clear her airways. "You want to open an art gallery?!"

"Well, it's been _ten _months, Al! I'm going out of my mind, here. Aren't you?" Piper juts her bottom lip out as Alex considers the proposition.

"And here I thought holidays to Cambodia would manage to keep a girl happy." Alex shrugs, pulling Piper's legs into her lap and runs her hands up her shins as the blonde shifts closer.

"It'll be _funnn._" Piper whines.

"And whose art do you really expect to put in this gallery?"

"Yours." Piper says immediately. Alex's eyes widen and her fingers still on the smaller girl's knees.

"Piper, no one would even go." She says rather self depreciatingly. Piper scoffs, shaking her head.

"You really don't see it, do you? When someone like _me_ tells an artist like _you _they should open a gallery, you should listen to my advice; I don't say that to everyone. You're, like...really fucking brilliant at it." Piper assures her infuriatingly bashful girlfriend. Briefly, the blonde thinks it must be absolutely horrible not being a smug asshole twenty four seven. Alex presses her fingers absent-mindedly at the sensitive spot behind Piper's knees before shrugging again.

"Okay, maybe, but only as a hobby, yeah? I don't want it to feel like _work."_ The brunette explains as Piper shifts further into her lap so she can wrap her arms around the taller girl's neck and rest her head on Alex's shoulder.

"Whatever you want, babe." Piper's literally sitting on top of the brunette now, and on lookers continue to gawk at the couple. They're on the second leg of their flight home to New York from Cambodia, and first class on the luxurious airliner is about half full. The paring are shattered, though, and the view from the windows is simply of an infinite void of darkness, so Piper clicks her fingers and asks for (_demands)_ a blanket.

"I bet they don't find you half as intimidating when you're sitting in my lap and playing with my hair." Alex drawls, rubbing her hands slowly up the blonde's back underneath the fabric of her shirt.

"I think we could find a way to scare them off." Piper smirks tiredly, raising her head from Alex's shoulder and brushing her lips against the brunette's in what was _supposed _to be a chaste kiss. Alex makes that sort of primal sound low in her throat, though, splaying her hand wide across the middle of Piper's spine and deepening the kiss, smiling triumphantly as Piper's hands grasp at the front of her soft t shirt. The blonde gasps at the feeling of Alex's cold fingers spread wide across her bare skin, shifting her body further inwards to Alex on the plane seat. It continues heatedly for a long while, the couple irreversibly wrapped up in each other and rather impatient at the fact it's going to be at least another twelve hours before they can justify taking it any further. Feather light touches, barely audible moans and searching tongues are probably not doing anything to calm either girl down, but there's something unquestionably hot about a little PDA, right? Unfortunately, the two women never quite have it in them to know when enough is enough, so the flummoxed flight attendant stands with a deep red heat stinging her cheeks for a good thirty seconds before realising the heavily making-out couple in front of her are absolutely ignorant to everything but themselves.

"I'll just...leave this here." She squeaks, dropping the blanket on the floor before scarpering off, leaving the oblivious couple behind. Eventually, a man a few rows in front begins clearing his throat loudly to drown out Alex's increasing moans as Piper's hands slipped low onto her stomach, and the kiss breaks slowly. Alex hovers over the blonde slightly, blushing and smiling sheepishly as she removes her hand from underneath Piper's grey shirt and fixing the blonde's rather mussed-up hair as best she can. The older girl tries pathetically to smooth out the creases in Alex's shirt when she sits up, but it's to no avail.

"Where did this come from?" Alex says pointedly, leaning down to pick up the white fluffy blanket. Piper shakes her head with marked confusion as a wave of tiredness overcomes her suddenly.

"C'mon." She crooks her finger towards the brunette once she's reclined the seat back. Alex switches the overhead light off and throws the blanket over them before kicking off her Vans and laying down beside Piper who instinctively seeks the taller girl's familiar embrace. Piper rests her tired head on Alex's chest, a yawn escaping.

"You're such a cuddler." Alex whispers into the dim lighting of the cabin, just enough light to make out a greyscale of Piper's eyes-closed but smiling expression.

"Problem?" Piper mumbles, and as if to emphasise the point she throws an arm securely over Alex's stomach and turns her body into Alex's.

"Not a one." Alex surmises, kissing Piper's hair sweetly before a deep, comfortable sleep consumes them.

* * *

No fucking way can she go through with this. Piper paces the length of her bathroom agitatedly, heart thumping at a mile a minute while the object in her hands feels so heavy her shoulder might dislocate from its socket. Red carpet, gala opening of a new art gallery? No fucking problem.

Proposing to her girlfriend of two years, three hundred and sixty-four days? Big fucking problem.

What if Alex says no? What if the gallery opening doesn't go well? What if Alex doesn't agree to go on the "walk" that Piper has spent more time organising for the past few weeks than she has with regards to the Soho gallery opening?

"Pipes?" Alex's muffled voice filters through the bathroom door, and the blonde's heartbeat speeds up tenfold. She checks the time on her phone, almost dropping it in the process. _Five hours. _Five hours until she'll pop the minor question to the love of her life, saying something along the lines of _"Hey, babe, fancy spending the rest of your life with a fuck-up like me? I reckon it'll be good banter, what do you say?"_ Of course, Piper has practiced and re-practiced what she really wants to say, but what will actually come out when she's down on one knee is absolutely unpredictable. Shoving the box as deep into her clutch as possible, Piper takes a shaky breath and exits the bathroom, smiling reassuringly at Alex. The brunette eyes her curiously, chewing idly on a Haribo before offering Piper one. She shakes her head no, extending her hand towards Alex. The taller girl shrugs, puts the sweets in her bag and links her fingers sweetly with the blonde's.

"You look beautiful tonight, Piper Chapman." She drawls as the pair walk down the long, airy corridor outside their apartment towards the elevator. Piper beams up at her girlfriend, leaning into Alex lightly whilst they wait for the doors to open. The warm lighting of the corridor illuminates the almost invisible shimmer of Piper's one shouldered white dress, criminally short as always and a sparkling of silver detailing running underneath her bust. Simply black heels adorned her feet, matching the clutch currently housing the priceless engagement ring she planned to give to Alex later.

"You look beautiful, too." Usually, Piper would reply with a snarky comment like "_I know," _but considering the circumstances it feels right to return the compliment. Alex's dark navy dress fits her like a second skin, low across her chest with lace sleeves and coming to the middle of her thigh, paired with a striking pair of red heels. Piper rather hopes that when the whole cumbersome business of a proposal is all said and done, she'll be on her knees in front of Alex for an entirely different reason. _Five hours, Chapman. Better get a move on._

* * *

"Piper, Alex! Over here!" The photographers' voices merge into one in front of the couple; this is not an aspect of public appearances that they've missed. Fluorescents dance in Piper's eyes as she blinks rapidly, placing her arm around Alex and resting her hand on the brunette's far hip possessively. Alex's hand meanwhile rests safely on the small of Piper's back, pressing lightly into the fabric of the blonde's dress.

"Boy, I _really _missed this." Alex says through gritted teeth. Piper nods beside her understandingly but doesn't reply, wearing a fake sort of smile that doesn't reach her eyes or doing that infuriating, smouldering pout that has half the female population needing a change of underwear. Alex is rather bored already, though, so just for the hell of it she slips her hand lower, hidden from the view of the cameras and proceeds to go right ahead and grab Piper's ass right in the middle of a legion of photographers and TV cameras. Piper, to her credit, doesn't yelp or jump in surprise, but her composed expression falters and her blue eyes grow wide.

"Did you just grab my fucking ass in public?!" The blonde hisses, turning to face Alex more as the mischievous girl's hand comes back onto her hip.

"No. I think it was that shady looking guy over there." Alex motions her head slightly to a curator whose name escapes Piper; he's about two hundred years old and wearing a suit that looks twice that age. Piper finds herself laughing slightly, a wide grin coming onto her face as she looks at Alex, speechless. Alex chuckles harder at her own joke, eyes crinkling and husky laugh in Piper's ear. The snapping of cameras, calling of photographers and general ruckus of the opening fade to nothingness as the couple continue beaming at each other.

"_You're what I pay attention to. Who I pay attention to. Everything else is just...background."_

Alex's words from Amsterdam ring true in that moment, and when the photos are released thousands upon thousands of 'fangirls' will lose their absolute _shit_ at the way Piper and Alex look at each other; Piper's staring at Alex with a quiet sense of amazement and pride in her eyes, a genuine smile on her lips while the brunette looks back at her with an almost sickening amount of just pure fucking _happiness_ in her expression, as if she's just unable to come to terms with the fact that this is all real. It's the night before their anniversary, they're opening their own art gallery _together_, she's at ease now with her mother's passing, and as blissfully in love with Piper as she was the moment she met her. It's that sort of love that's foreign to those who are not involved in it, and resented by those who cannot understand it. It's the sort that brings peace to their minds and sparks a burning desire deep in their souls which no matter the circumstances, will inevitably fail to be extinguished. God knows they've tried; stayed away for months, gone through break ups, drug use and family deaths, but even after all this time that flame still burns impossibly bright. It's incomprehensible even to Alex and Piper, but it's a tumultuous, endless sort of love, and it has irreversibly consumed them.

So they stand, in the middle of the bustling carpet, in front of the army of photographers, and they just laugh. They laugh and look at each other and just get absolutely fucking _lost_ in the moment, and there's just no hope of ever finding their way back to any sense of normality; why would they even begin to try, though?

Piper and Alex are as destined as the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening, and there's not a damn thing wrong with that.

* * *

"Pay up, pussy!" Nicky shakes her head at the girl beside her in the bar, watching the happy couple slip away inconspicuously.

"What the fuck you talkin' about? And my _name_ is Poussey; accent a droite, bitch!" Poussey cranes her neck over the crowd of people, but comes up short.

"They just left. I win." Nicky smirks crookedly as the other girl shakes her head.

"Hell naw. They only stayed for like, two seconds! That ain't even right."

"Hey, they lasted two hours." Nicky checks the time on her phone. "Once, they came to a party and stayed in the bathroom for about an hour and a half before coming out and announcing they'd been here the whole damn time. Should've seen Lorna's face." Nicky cracks up at the memory while Poussey grumbles and thumbs through her purse for Nicky's winnings. Poussey had bet Alex and Piper would last four hours (_it was their own fucking gallery opening!), _whilst Nicky had hedged her bets on somewhere closer to two; anyone who saw the pair often enough knew just how hard they found it to keep their hands to themselves, even after all this time. "Cheers, pussy." Nicky clinks their pints together, pocketing the twenty bucks gleefully while the blonde outside the bar doors prepares for what will undoubtedly be the most nerve wracking thing she's ever done.

* * *

"_Twenty fucking minutes. I should have had a drink." _Piper morbidly surmises as the couple walk hand in hand away from the noise of the bar.

"Come for a walk with me, Alex Vause." Piper smiles up at the slightly taller girl.

"Sure thing, Piper Chapman." Alex quips back, nudging the blonde's shoulder lightly, oblivious to Piper's extreme nervousness. Piper takes solace in the fact that Alex has at least agreed to go on a 'walk', although she certainly has no idea about the ring currently boring a hole through Piper's clutch. The blonde leads them down through a few less upmarket blocks, towards the pier. It's another terrifically dark night in the metropolis of New York, the dim streetlights casting an orange glow over the black shadows drawn haphazardly over concrete pavements and boarded up windows. The couple talk amicably about the night's events, and both are rather excited by the prospects of their little business venture. Certainly, judging by the turnout of well respected artists and honoured guests, the future was bright for the gallery. If it didn't work out, they always had the small sum of about five billion to fall back on. Ten minutes pass, far too quickly for Piper's liking as the shimmering waters ahead of the pier come into view. She shivers, not from the cold, but Alex is unaware of that, so she wraps a warm arm around Piper's slender shoulders and pulls her close while they walk to the bottom of the hill. The blonde smiles despite her nerves, placing her own hand around Alex's waist, enjoying the spreading of warmth through her body. Deep down, she knows this will all go smoothly, but not even the cockiest girl could propose to Alex Vause without a shred of self-doubt. Piper may put on a smug, powerful exterior, but underneath it all she was just another poor soul searching for her muse. Finally, somehow, Alex had come into her life, and there's not a day goes by that Piper isn't inexplicably grateful of that fact.

_Five fucking motherfucking shitting minutes._

The couple walk along the promenade, wrapped up in their tight embrace, still whispering thoughts and conversations to each other. Alex fails to notice that the pier is absolutely devoid of any activity save for her and the unusually quiet blonde beside her. As always, though, Alex only has eyes for her girl. Eventually, a little patch of grass illuminated by a cube of softly lit Chinese lanterns comes into view, right up against the silver railing that looks out onto the rippling navy waters beneath, moonlight reflecting in fragmented pieces off the surface. The couple stop and lean over, holding hands sweetly as a comfortable silence envelops them. It's the sort of silence that takes your breath away, so pure and uninterrupted and rare, and Piper tries to collect herself. Time's up, though, and her heart rate increases to a frightening rate as she thumbs with the clasp of her bag.

_Now or never, Chapman. _

"This is so beautiful, Piper. How'd you find it?" Alex questions idly, leaning over the edge and looking down the pier, away from the blonde.

"I just... you know." _Wow. Smooth._ "Found it." Piper nearly slaps herself, but surely to God Alex can hear the sound of her heart thumping in her chest. She clears her throat and takes a deep breath. Takes another. She notices how Alex's hair catches in the breeze slightly and her navy dress looks better than ever under the flattering lighting of the Chinese lanterns (that Piper had of course organised, I mean, how many piers do you know that have patches of grass, a speaker system and lighting?).

"Yeah, no. That's a lie." Piper begins. "I may have actually closed the whole pier for tonight, too." She smiles sheepishly as Alex turns to face her again, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"And why might that be?" Alex smirks, but _fucking hell_ does that smirk come right off her face as Piper proceeds to get down on one knee, holding Alex's hand in her left one while her right opens her small black clutch. There's an audible intake of breath from the taller girl, and all coherent though goes out the window when Piper pulls out a mahogany box and sets it by her foot. The blonde takes Alex's hand in both of hers for the moment, and tries to formulate her thoughts into coherent sentences.

"Alex Vause. Three years and seventeen days ago, you walked into my office and proceeded to rip up everything I thought I knew about my life and rewrite your own story. I'm glad you did, because people kept ripping up my story and forgetting to replace it, but you came and you saw and you loved me, and I'll never get tired of thanking you for that; you saved me from myself, Alex. You're the reason I wake up in the morning, you know?" Piper laughs nervously. "And ever since that first night, I've been in love with you. Even in separation, I was still in so deep that I nearly fucking drowned. Love kills you, Alex, when you have it, and when you don't. But if being in love with you kills me tonight, then I was ready for death the moment you said hello. I fell in love with you not just for how you look, but for who you _are._ Although I must say, that dress makes your ass look fan-fucking-tastic, babe." Alex chokes back a sob and laughs at Piper's comment.

"I don't really believe in destiny or fate or any of that; but if I did I'd say it's a choice, you know? You're my destiny, Alex. You're the only constant thing I have seen and wanted for the last three years, and it's never going to change. I look at you, Alex, and it's not just your looks I see; everything I've ever wanted is standing right here in front of me on this damn pier that I've fucking made into a ghost town. I always thought I was looking for an unattainable wealth that someday I would find. But I didn't; I found you. And that is so, so much fucking better. I'll follow you for the rest of my life, Alex, until the day my heart stops beating, even if you turn around right now and walk away. I don't have a fucking clue what true love is. But I know what I feel, and I'm not giving up. I'm yours for as long as you want me and even after that, because I could watch you for a single minute and find a thousand things I love about you, and I'll sure as hell never feel like this again. This is it." Piper wipes at the tears forming at the corners of her eyes before picking up the box with one hand and opening it.

"You are the absolute love of my life. You're my other half, you know? My person...my girl. So...Alex Vause." Piper pauses, smiling wide at the taller girl whose eyes flit desperately from Piper's to the sparkling ring in her hand before the blonde speaks those four life-altering words in a surprisingly steady voice, moonlight catching in her hair and blue eyes sparkling with tears, words backed up by the soft waves brushing against the wall of the pier.

"Will you marry me?"

The small matter of a proposal hangs loudly in the air between them. Piper's legs are sore from crouching on one knee so tensely for so long, and a steady flow of tears falls from Alex's eyes. But _of course_ they're happy tears. _Of course_ she'll say yes. This is the love story to end all love stories we're talking about here, for God sake.

"Of course I'll marry you, you fucking sap." Alex sobs, and Piper's grin gets impossibly wider.

"Yes? Is that a yes?" She cries happily, taking the sparkling diamante ring from its housing inside the box. It has a glistening silver band with a quietly extravagant arrangement of diamonds on top, sparkling flecks of Gold visible in flashes throughout. It's not too in your face; it's subtle, but obviously expensive and custom-cut.

"Yes. Yes, I will marry you, Piper." Alex nods through her tears as Piper gleefully slips the ring onto her finger before standing up and kissing the brunette, positively melting with relief as she allows the tears to fall.

"I love you." Piper whispers throatily against Alex's lips, both of her hands on the taller girl's face as Alex's rest on her waist.

"I love you, too, so fucking much." Alex replies in between desperate kisses. All too quickly, though, they pause for reflection. Suddenly, Alex realises something.

"You don't have a ring!"

"Well, I was hardly going to buy myself one, was I?" The blonde says dryly, smoothing her hands over the base of Alex's neck.

"That's not fair, though." The brunette complains.

"You can get me one eventually, there's no rush." Piper reassures her, leaning in for another kiss. Alex pulls away, however, beginning to rifle through her clutch for something before finding the object and pulling it out triumphantly. Piper's heart sinks, and she groans loudly.

"Oh, _fuck _no. For the love of-" She's cut off by Alex's raspy voice, the brunette smirking proudly as she gets onto one knee herself.

"Piper Chapman. You are without a doubt, the biggest asshole I have ever met." Piper doesn't even feel insulted, in fact she sees it as a compliment as Alex continues to speak. "But you're my ass- wait, that sounds bad." Alex pauses for a moment, Piper shaking her head and chuckling. "You also happen to be the smartest, kindest, most beautiful person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and somehow along the way I've managed to fall hopelessly in love with you. And if that isn't the best thing that's ever happened to me, then I don't know what is. I mean, fuck butterflies, I feel the whole damn zoo when I'm around you, kid. I didn't plan any of this, but I'm absolutely delighted with how things have turned out. We aren't faultless, and we're both a little narcissistic, but isn't that what makes us great? You have no idea how fast my heart races when I'm around you, and you bring out a side in me that I know my mom, and your mom, would be really proud of. Uh... this is harder than you made it out to be." Alex says pointedly. "Piper, I fell in love with your courage, your sincerity that you reserved only for me. Even if the whole world likes to indulge in their wild suspicions about you, I am unreservedly in love with every single part of you. I love you, and that's the beginning of everything. When you came to me that night in the warehouse, all I could think was that I needed you and your arms around me, and it's terribly self involved, but I just needed you to tell me we'd find a way to be together, you know? So, Piper Chapman, the love of my life, the girl I want to wake up to at four o'clock in the morning just because you want me to cuddle you a little tighter, will you marry me?" And then five foot ten of raven-haired sex appeal and just general fucking _hotness_ proceeds to present to a stunning, billionaire blonde... a fucking _Haribo _ring.

Alex Vause actually sits there in the middle of that deserted pier, and she proposes to Piper Chapman with a Haribo.

And it's positively the most loving, adorable thing Piper has ever seen, the brunette's green eyes ignited with hope and mischief, the tiny makings of a shy smile on her lips.

"I guess I'll give it a shot." Piper's voice cracks at the last, overcome with emotion despite the juvenile nature of the proposal. It's just _so _Alex. The brunette even puts the sweet on Piper's ring finger, standing up with her hands on Piper's hips and kissing her sweetly, a nervous laugh escaping. Before it can get any further though, the blonde halts the kiss and steps away from Alex to stand further underneath the cube of lanterns. She walks over and leans down to what Alex had initially thought to be a plastic, rectangular bush with artificial leaves, but actually turns out to be a disguised speaker. A quiet but familiar tune envelops the couple as the blonde returns to Alex's embrace, settling her hands behind the taller girl's neck while she places her hands innocently on Piper's hips.

"Original." Alex notes sarcastically. Piper just pokes her tongue out and admires her 'ring' behind Alex's head.

"Shut up." The blonde teases lightly, beaming up at her _fiancé._

"_And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways, maybe just the touch of a hand. _

_Well, me—I fall in love with you every single day, and I just wanna tell you I am." _

The couple sway slowly in time with the song, Piper resting her tired head on Alex's chest after a moment. It's unquestionably similar to the scene in their apartment from almost three years ago; slow dancing and life-altering propositions. As if reading her mind, Alex brings it up, her voice coming from her position resting her chin on Piper's head.

"You remember New Years with my parents?"

"I was just thinking about that. Your fake proposal and all that." Piper laughs at the memory, and the brunette chuckles lightly along with her.

"You loved it."

"I sure did." Piper confirms, raising her head to kiss Alex sweetly. "I love you." She reaffirms happily, wondering if the grin is ever going to come off her face.

"_But, baby, now, take me into your loving arms. Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars, place your head on my beating heart" _

"I love you too, baby." Alex hums happily against the blonde's lips before twirling her gracefully, laughter filling the air along with a slow instrumental.

"_I'm thinking out loud, that maybe we found love right where we are. _

_Oh, baby, we found love right where we are. And we found love right where we are."_

The song fades, replaced by a playlist that neither girl really listens to. All that matters, all that's ever mattered for the last three years, is Piper and Alex. A happy silence falls over the two women, occasionally punctuated with admittances of love as they stare happily into each other's eyes. This, this is fucking perfect. This is happiness. This is home. This is Piper and Alex, and they're fucking inevitable, and it's the greatest thing in the whole world. They're forever, now, officially. Forever used to scare Piper, but now it causes her stomach to curl in anticipation and a contended sigh to fall from her lips under the soft lighting of the lanterns. It's been at least an hour before they turn to walk back to their home, back to reality and the trials and tribulations of an engagement. Excitement, anticipation and ultimately a palpable love fills the air as the pair fall into bed that night.

"Goodnight, fiancé." Piper murmurs in a dreamy voice, facing the brunette.

"Night, fiancé." Alex quips back, smiles lighting up their faces. They kiss lightly for a second before Piper turns over and moves back into Alex who automatically spoons the smaller girl, pressing her lips to Piper's neck before speaking up as an indescribably blissful sleep and life ahead prepares to welcome the couple with inviting arms.

"Hey, Pipes."

"Yeah?" She replies sleepily.

"How'd you manage to close a _whole_ pier?" Alex says with a sense of wonder in her voice. A smile spreads across Piper's lips as she forms a reply to the love of her life.

"You know me, Alex." She says with a laugh. "I've always been the persuasive type."

* * *

A/N: This is a little rushed, and I have three exams tomorrow that I haven't revised for because I wanted to write. Sorry for typos. If you have any questions, PM me or tweet me (There won't be a sequel but I may write another AU.) Basically, thank you to every single one of you. Even if you didn't leave a review, just by reading this story you've made me inexplicably happy. I love each and every one of you, and it would just make my life if you left even one comment on how you enjoyed or didn't enjoy this whole story. To everyone on Twitter who inspired this story and gave me ideas when I screamed at you in caps, thank you. I really do love you. To Taylor Schilling and Laura Prepon for acting out these incredible characters and giving me an infinite amount of inspiration, thank you. It's been fucking real, guys.


	25. Author's Note

Don't kill me, but this isn't a new chapter. I just feel like you all deserve a better send off from me than a rushed A/N at one o'clock in the morning.  
I meant to mention that I posted a Spotify playlist for this fic in my profile, so you can click the link there and even just take a look. Genuinely if you have ANY questions about the story, hit me up with a PM or tweet.

Loose ends that I feel need tidied up:

At the end of this, Piper is 27 and Alex is 26. It's the end of November/ start of December (night before their anniversary).

Piper drives a Porsche, Ferrari (red), Range Rover, Lamborghini and finally a convertible Ferrari (white) throughout the story, while Alex drives a white BMW.

Song references:

Chasing Cars- Snow Patrol

Budapest- George Ezra

National Anthem- Lana Del Rey

Piano cover of Clarity- Zedd ft. Foxes

Thinking Out Loud- Ed Sheeran

Books and poems used for inspiration:

The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald

Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger

Twilight- Stephanie Meyer

XVII- Pablo Neruda

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul- Douglas Adams

And just...yeah, I don't think I'll ever get over the reaction to this story. For me, a fifteen year old with the self assurance of a potato, every single tweet or review I've received about Persuasion fills me with a literally immeasurable amount of happiness. Whether or not I choose to write another AU remains to be seen, but be absolutely certain that it is only down to my own bone-idle laziness and one hundred percent, categorically not for a lack of recognition of my efforts with Persuasion. I could take days to write a one thousand word essay and want to die throughout every second of it, but for the month and a half of writing over 100k words, not once have I felt like I wasn't enjoying myself. It has honestly been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done, and I sincerely hope you've all had as much fun as I have. Like I said in the previous A/N, it's been fucking real, guys.


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